Chapter 403: Ten Years of Guarding and Return to the Holy Land
Two years later.
Li Hao's understanding of sculpting broke through and reached the Ninth Segment, stepping into the Dao. If he were to progress further, it would be the Tenth Segment, an entrance into the Saint realm.
With his insights from the Ninth Segment of sculpting, Li Hao integrated this Dao heart into his movement techniques. The various body techniques he had mastered were further refined and enhanced. In terms of agility, he finally overcame his shortcomings. Combined with the Abyssal Extreme Realm, his level now met the standard of a Three-Calamity Saint.
If he could reach Tenth Segment in body techniques, even Supreme Saints would find it difficult to match him. Only a few Supreme Saints had achieved Dao Sacrificial levels with their body techniques.
After all, these Supreme Saints had lived far too long. Even if they spent thousands of years honing their weaker aspects, they could gradually patch up their shortcomings.
Over the past two years, ancient demons had sporadically come to invade, but they were all Third-Tier Ancient Demons wandering into this place.
The moment they detected the Xuanpin Gate was also the moment Li Hao marked them for death.
As for the ancient demon corpses he had collected earlier, even after two years, Li Hao had not yet finished consuming them. He estimated that they could last him another three to five years.
Although he thought about leaving the ancient road to check on the situation outside, he hesitated. If he encountered another ancient demon commander out there, he wouldn't even have the chance to escape.
After all, an ancient demon commander's range of perception was far beyond his. By the time he noticed them, he would already be in their sights and easily exterminated.
This place, however, was different. Li Hao had carefully set up hidden threads all around the area. As long as an ancient demon commander did not approach with deliberate stealth, Li Hao could detect them early enough through the hidden threads.
This was still the ancient demons' territory, and it was unlikely for an ancient demon commander to sneak around cautiously. Therefore, Li Hao felt relatively secure here.
"The frequency of these ancient demons appearing is increasing. It seems other ancient demon commanders will soon notice this vacant territory and try to claim it…"
Li Hao's eyes flashed with calculation.
The people of the Holy Land would never know that their world was constantly teetering on the brink of destruction.
If an ancient demon commander found this place and destroyed the Xuanpin Gate, the Holy Land would face utter calamity.
Li Hao wasn't sure if the Xuanpin Gate could withstand a commander-level existence. All he could do was continue studying the rune patterns on the gate, trying to repair them.
In two years of study, Li Hao had only discovered that immortal energy was required for repairs.
Fortunately, his body had already accumulated an immense amount of immortal energy. However, since he had not yet become a True Immortal, he could not fully control this energy.
That said, the immortal energy had been tempering his body over time, silently transforming it. Li Hao could feel his body becoming stronger and stronger. The blade of the Chaos Saint could no longer harm him. His physical body's strength now rivaled that of a Sixth-Tier Imperial Weapon!
More importantly, it wasn't just his body surface that had transformed; his Dao bones and divine blood had undergone a significant change.
The Dao patterns on his bones had become covered in a layer of silver radiance, pure and ethereal, as hard as divine iron.
The golden divine blood within him now had faint traces of dark silver threads. Li Hao felt that with enough immortal energy and time, his physical body might fully transform into a True Immortal body, even before he comprehended the path to becoming a True Immortal.
The monotonous years slowly passed. Li Hao had adapted to this life.
Back when he lived in that quiet courtyard and his little companion had been taken away, he had spent his days alone, just like this.
But it wasn't long before he met Er Ye and Feng Lao.
Thinking of Er Ye, Li Hao was reminded of the mortal world, of the old man in the Imperial Palace, of the Madam in the Divine General's Mansion, and of the little girl who loved to sit beside him and listen to his stories.
He also thought of Ren Qianqian, the girl who had accompanied him to the borderlands, carrying his sword without complaint.
And then there was the little fox he had raised since childhood—he wondered where it had run off to. Had Yu Huang managed to find it?
These thoughts of people and memories began to flood his mind. The more he recalled, the deeper his longing grew. It was like a persistent itch in his heart, filling him with a strong urge to return.
But he knew that if he left now and this place were exposed, the pseudo-realm would face utter calamity. For now, he had no choice but to guard this place.
He didn't know how long he could hold out, but at the very least, he could delay the inevitable.
If that first ancient demon had already relayed the location of this place, the Holy Land would have been in jeopardy long ago.
Time flowed on.
In this barren and desolate gorge, Li Hao began to understand Nangong Jian's loneliness.
It was no wonder Nangong Jian had been so pessimistic. At least Li Hao still had hope and a way home.
But even now, Li Hao did not know how long he would have to wait.
The crimson spear woman had failed her promise, but Li Hao did not blame her. He guessed something must have happened outside to delay her.
All he could hope was that her troubles would be resolved soon and someone would come to guard this place.
Alternatively, he hoped that the immortals and gods outside would clear out all the ancient demons in this war zone, making this place completely safe.
Waiting became his new normal. Li Hao buried his thoughts in sculpting and studying the rune patterns of the Xuanpin Gate's crack.
Before he knew it, five years had passed.
In the first two years, ancient demons would appear sporadically, ten or so at a time. By the third year, Li Hao's manifested avatar discovered something while extending hidden threads far into the distance. It saw a large gathering of ancient demons stationed at a faraway ancient demon territory.
Li Hao's avatar quietly withdrew.
Fortunately, his movement technique had long reached the Ninth Segment. Body techniques encompassed not only speed and dodging but also stealth.
With the help of special abilities like Jiang Xue Diagram, which enhanced his stealth through the Illustrated Records, Li Hao's avatar avoided alerting the ancient demons and returned safely.
This situation made Li Hao realize that other ancient demons were beginning to claim these empty territories.
Time felt increasingly short. Every day, he worked with greater focus, banishing all distractions.
But the rune patterns on the Xuanpin Gate seemed to represent a supreme law of the Dao. After years of study, Li Hao had made minimal progress—less than one-thousandth.
As time passed, more and more ancient demon territories were occupied, and their presence drew closer to him.
Li Hao carefully piled up stones to conceal the Xuanpin Gate. He set up barriers and used his Saint Dao Domain to shield the area.
With his significantly enhanced soul force, Li Hao's perception range now exceeded that of a Second-Tier Ancient Demon, and even some First-Tier Ancient Demon leaders were weaker in perception than him.
As long as Li Hao detected the ancient demons in advance, he could use his soul force to obscure the gate's traces and confuse them.
If the opportunity arose, Li Hao would kill them and use them for his dinner.
After five years, Li Hao's soul force had condensed a fifth soul bone.
The immortal energy in his body had grown even more terrifying. If he unleashed it fully, he could easily wipe out hundreds of Second-Tier Ancient Demons.
However, since ancient demon leaders resided in those territories—True Immortal-level beings—the gap between mortals and immortals was insurmountable, and Li Hao dared not take the risk.
In addition, Li Hao's sculpting experience had reached Ninth Segment perfection.
To progress further, he needed to comprehend his own Sculpting Dao Path.
Apart from sculpting, his fishing technique had also reached the Eighth Segment, its experience fully accumulated.
Years of hidden threads probing ancient demons had brought him significant experience. In this dangerous environment, Li Hao's focus while placing threads had deepened his understanding of fishing techniques.
Li Hao calculated the time—it had been ten years since he arrived here.
Ten years had passed. On the other side of the gate, he wondered whether Yuanzu and Shenwang were still standing guard there.
But now, for Li Hao, they were no longer obstacles.
Using the Dual-faced Figure attribute from the illustrated records, Li Hao created a shadow clone to keep watch over the canyon and stand guard.
He himself focused entirely on studying the rune patterns of the Xuanpin Gate.
With the immense immortal energy stored in his body, Li Hao could now sustain the Extreme Hua Xian State for an incredibly long time—long enough to end several intense battles.
While in the Extreme Hua Xian State, Li Hao's comprehension of the gate's runes deepened. This seemed to embody some kind of supreme law of heaven and earth.
Combining the prototype of the Heavenly Dao he created with the power of the Three Saints, Li Hao made new discoveries and managed to barely comprehend the structure of the runes.
Using this insight, Li Hao slowly began to explore further.
If others knew that someone at Saint-level was studying the power left behind by an Immortal Emperor, they would surely scoff. But here in this desolate place, not only did Li Hao study it, but he even managed to achieve significant progress.
Meanwhile, behind the Xuanpin Gate
Beyond the Xuanpin Gate, towering majestically within the starry sky, lay the ancient Imperial Hall.
Ten years had passed.
At first, when all the Saints had gathered here, they had fought fiercely, scrambling in fear that the immortal path would be seized by someone else. If the path were destroyed, there would be no more opportunities to ascend to immortality.
But now, they knew that the immortal path had already been tread by Hao Tianzun. The gate had been sealed, and without the Sixth Extreme Realm, no one could step through it. After their initial frenzy, the Saints gradually began to explore other parts of the Imperial Hall.
Over the years, every corner of the hall had been explored, leaving no secrets behind.
The treasures within were scarce and had long since lost their luster due to the passage of time. Even Yuanzu felt these relics were from an unfamiliar age—so ancient that some treasures crumbled to dust at the slightest touch, brittle like rubble.
Now, only twenty to thirty Saints remained seated in front of the Xuanpin Gate, meditating in silence.
They were here to cultivate and comprehend the Sixth Extreme Realm, while also waiting for any sign of the gate reopening. Should Hao Tianzun return, they would be the first to know.
From the gate's current state, they could confirm one thing: Hao Tianzun had not severed the immortal path.
This gave the Saints hope and even redeemed Li Hao's reputation. From their earlier condemnation of him, they now spoke little of it, choosing instead to focus on their own comprehension of the Sixth Extreme Realm.
Now, whoever comprehended the Sixth Extreme Realm first would be the one to step onto the immortal path.
"Ten years have passed. I sent my reincarnated avatar to the mortal world, where a hundred years have already gone by. Yet I still haven't comprehended the Sixth Extreme Realm."
"Same here. My avatar remains stuck at Three Undying Realms. I dared not advance further, yet I still cannot grasp the Heaven-Man Extreme Realm."
"The Sixth Extreme Realm is not achieved through cultivation or the accumulation of power. It requires insight into heaven's will and heaven's heart!"
The Saints guarding the gate wore heavy expressions.
Ten years had passed. The immortal path was within reach, yet despite the collective efforts of the Saints, no one had been able to comprehend the Sixth Extreme Realm. This left them incredulous and heightened their respect for Hao Tianzun's unparalleled talent.
Only now did they realize that the Sixth Extreme Realm was not something ordinary people could achieve. It required an almost impossible level of comprehension.
Among the Saints, Fa Sheng and Ming Sheng also wore solemn expressions, deep in thought.
They recalled Yuanzu's account of Li Hao's words:
"The Sixth Extreme Realm cannot be achieved through cultivation alone."
Over the past decade, they had sent avatars to investigate Li Hao's past, unearthing every detail about this peerless genius who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
The affairs of the mortal world were like an open book to them—hiding anything from the Saints was almost impossible.
After learning of Li Hao's background, they even reincarnated their avatars into the mortal world, carefully replicating his experiences.
In the Great Wilderness Heavens, central to the mortal realm, they descended into divine dynasties as godchildren. Like Li Hao, they displayed extraordinary talent from childhood while maintaining a low profile.
They even arranged for their disciples to reincarnate as the parents of their avatars, severing ties to replicate Li Hao's early life experiences.
But despite their meticulous planning, the results were catastrophic.
Their avatars became twisted and flawed. Some grew resentful, consumed by hatred and anger. Others gave up entirely, becoming wasteful and lazy. When faced with calamities orchestrated by the Saints, they were powerless to resist. Some looked on in numb apathy, others in helpless sorrow.
Some avatars tried to return to cultivation, but they found it impossible. Cultivation, once abandoned, was not so easily resumed.
They even knew Li Hao had never seriously cultivated—he spent his days enjoying food, drink, and leisure. Yet for him, cultivation was as simple as eating and drinking water.
Whenever his realm was insufficient, a short period of cultivation would see him breaking through effortlessly.
But their reincarnated avatars lacked such talent.
Even with treasures to shape their bones in the womb and grant them top-tier potential, it wasn't enough.
If they devoted themselves to cultivation, they could reach Grandmaster Realm by age fourteen, even ten. They far surpassed Li Hao's recorded progress.
But if they spent their lives idling away, even the finest talent could be squandered.
This realization left the Saints deeply unsettled. Li Hao's talent was far more terrifying than they had imagined—hundreds of times more so.
Over these ten years, their respect for him only grew. Li Hao's extraordinary talent now seemed unfathomable.
The Saints no longer tried to replicate his experiences from the Holy Land, for by then, Li Hao had already comprehended the Sixth Extreme Realm.
"Now, we can only pin our hopes on the Holy Infant."
In the five years following Li Hao's departure, all of the Saints' reincarnated avatars had failed.
In the Holy Land, five years translated to fifty years in the mortal world—nearly a full cycle of sixty years.
Despite their best efforts, their so-called prodigies had failed to comprehend the Heaven-Man Extreme Realm.
As a result, Yuanzu had proposed creating a Holy Infant.
This Holy Infant would be imbued with the power of the Saints, formed from their soul fragments. From the moment of its conception, it would receive the collective power of the Saints.
The Holy Infant would not need to cultivate. Merely by eating, sleeping, and breathing, it could absorb the world's energy. Even its pores would passively draw in power, allowing its cultivation to advance automatically!
In this way, the Holy Infant's life path could perfectly mimic Li Hao's.
The Saints chose a divine dynasty resembling Jiang Family's Divine Dynasty. Its governance and philosophy mirrored that of Da Yu's Divine Dynasty. Any differences were corrected to create a second Da Yu Dynasty.
There, they established five Divine General Mansions, and the Holy Infant was born into one of them.
This mansion was governed by Fa Sheng, who secretly guided it.
Fa Sheng's disciples descended to the mortal world, marrying and having children. The Holy Infant was conceived in the womb of a woman from an ancient noble family.
Under the Saints' manipulation, the mortal world became their chessboard.
From birth, the Holy Infant displayed extraordinary talent, though its parents were rarely present.
The Holy Infant suffered assassination attempts orchestrated by other concubines within the mansion—events secretly guided by the Saints. At the tender age of three, the Holy Infant was already made aware of these plots.
Yet, much like Li Hao, the Holy Infant chose to endure silently, appearing outwardly unbothered.
The Saints watched closely and quickly realized that the Holy Infant was exceptionally intelligent and deliberately concealing his true nature.
At the age of six, during the Foundation-Building Bone Molding ritual, the Saints intervened to tamper with the talent assessment results. This led the Divine General Mansion to mistakenly believe that the Holy Infant was a waste.
As a result, the Holy Infant grew even more low-profile.
During his cultivation, someone brought back a baby girl to accompany him.
The Saints debated fiercely over this choice. Many wished to use their reincarnated avatars as the girl, but in the end, a naturally existing baby girl in the mortal world was selected.
This girl was extraordinarily gifted, having lost her parents at a young age. She was mature beyond her years and took care of the Holy Infant, showing him kindness.
They grew up together like childhood sweethearts, cultivating in the mansion's courtyard.
One day, however, the girl was taken away by a renowned Sword Saint of the divine dynasty. She left the Divine General Mansion, and the Holy Infant was alone once more.
The Saints arranged for elders to appear in the Divine General Mansion under the guise of "coincidental encounters." These elders befriended the Holy Infant and accompanied him in leisure and play.
Unbeknownst to them, the combined power of the Saints infused into the Holy Infant began to manifest. His cultivation grew constantly and passively, even while he seemed to be idling.
However, after experiencing assassination attempts at a young age, the Holy Infant had learned to hide his strength. Thus, he deliberately concealed his cultivation progress, not revealing it even to the elders watching over him.
The Saints observed this but did not interfere. The reincarnated avatars were independent entities with their own personalities. Unless they forcibly awakened the Saint power within, allowing the Saint's divine will to take over, the original personality would remain dominant. Doing so would mark the experiment as a failure.
The Holy Infant seemed to live a life of leisure, but behind closed doors, he trained diligently. There was a fire in him—a drive to seek revenge and break free from his constraints.
The Saints noticed this but chose not to stop him. After all, they had investigated Li Hao's past and, while few had seen Li Hao cultivate, they refused to believe that his achievements came without effort.
For them, it was impossible for anyone to reach such heights without training.
Thus, they believed that Li Hao must have trained in secret, and the Holy Infant's behavior was merely mirroring that.
At thirteen years old, the Holy Infant had already reached the Heavenly Human Grandmaster Realm, breaking Li Hao's record.
Yet no one knew of his achievements.
At fourteen, when his father returned, the Holy Infant chose to take his revenge.
The resulting battle between father and son shook the entire Divine General Mansion. The Holy Infant displayed earth-shattering strength, having already placed one foot into the Three Undying Realms.
The aftermath left him renowned across the mortal world. Stories of the Holy Infant's talent spread across the central divine dynasties. He was praised as the greatest genius the mortal world had seen in ten thousand years.
From that point onward, the trajectory of his life, influenced by the Saints' interventions, began to resemble that of Li Hao.
Now, the Holy Infant was forty years old.
In the mortal world, he had become a war god-like figure, having reached the pinnacle of the Wen Dao Realm. He had attempted multiple times to enter the Holy Land, only to be denied each time.
Saints descended to the mortal world to deliver their decree:
"You must comprehend the Sixth Extreme Realm before you can enter the Holy Land."
At present, the Holy Infant continued to train in the mortal world.
His cultivation had already reached the mortal world's limit, nearly forming the Eternal Dao Domain. His progress had stalled; there was no more room to grow.
Now, the Holy Infant wandered the mortal world, searching for the Sixth Extreme Realm.
The Saints did not know when—or if—he would comprehend it. But they believed that this was their best chance.
When the Holy Infant reached the Four Established Realms, the Saints' influence diminished. From then on, they could only allow him to grow freely.
"Although the Holy Infant appears to live a life of leisure, he has been training tirelessly behind the scenes, driven by a desire for revenge. I can't shake the feeling that we've gone down the wrong path. Perhaps we should not have tried to replicate it exactly."
The Saints gathered in the starry void near the Xuanpin Gate, though their thoughts were on the mortal world.
"You're right. I opposed this plan from the beginning. Perhaps it would've been better to let him live as a pampered waste, loved and cherished."
"Hao Tianzun once said that the Sixth Extreme Realm becomes harder to achieve the more you desire it. Without hatred or urgency, perhaps he would have developed a different mindset—one more aligned with Hao Tianzun's."
"But his life trajectory is identical. Isn't his current mindset already similar to Hao Tianzun's?" someone argued.
Some of the Saints remained silent.
They had all failed with their own reincarnated avatars. The weight of this failure was difficult to bear, particularly since this attempt had been their most meticulous and exhaustive effort.
"Someone once said that no two snowflakes share the same pattern, just as no two fingerprints are identical. Although their experiences are similar, Hao Tianzun is Hao Tianzun, and the Holy Infant is the Holy Infant. There can be no second Yuanzu, just as there can be no second Hao Tianzun."
A Saint whispered softly.
Hearing these words, the other Saints fell silent.
Indeed, the world contains similarities but not perfect duplicates.
Even yesterday's self is not today's self. Today's self will not be tomorrow's self.
"You're not wrong," a Saint said quietly, "but this is our last hope."
Hope is a double-edged sword. As long as even the faintest hope remains, they will persist—regardless of whether the path they're on is flawed.
"This is only the first attempt with the Holy Infant," Yuanzu interjected, cutting off the increasingly disheartened discussion. "If this attempt fails, we can try again. Next time, we'll create a Holy Infant free of hatred and ambition. Give him endless wealth and power, ensuring he desires nothing. Let's see if, in a state of absolute comfort and contentment, he can comprehend the Sixth Extreme Realm."
Hearing Yuanzu's words, the Saints paused, then nodded slightly in agreement.
Though each attempt with the Holy Infant consumed vast resources, the potential to ascend the immortal path made the cost worthwhile.
"This first Holy Infant is already a failure," Shenwang said coldly.
He continued, "On the surface, he wanders the mortal world, enjoying its sights. But in reality, his heart is filled with hatred. When Fa Sheng blocked his entry into the Holy Land, it planted the seeds of resentment within him. Just as he hid his anger when he was first betrayed as a child, he now hides his desperation to become a Saint. He's fighting against his fate."
The Saints exchanged glances, some deep in thought.
Even Yuanzu frowned at Shenwang's words.
The truth was undeniable: the Holy Infant's emotions—his anger and his ambition—were fundamentally flawed.
Beyond the crowd, Jian Zhu, who was there only in his avatar form, silently nodded. He had seen the same thing long ago and had known the Holy Infant would fail.
Here, apart from a few Saints' true selves, many others had already returned to their respective territories, leaving only avatars to wait at the Xuanpin Gate.
"That's correct. From what I know, there was never any hatred in Hao Tianzun's heart. Even when he was hunted and ambushed by Xu Sheng, enduring such humiliation and anger, I didn't see the flames of hatred in him. He didn't let others' mistakes torment him; hatred didn't consume him."
Jian Zhu spoke calmly.
Hearing this, many glanced at him, knowing that Jian Zhu had a good relationship with Li Hao. Naturally, his words carried weight.
"In that case, let's initiate the second Holy Infant plan. This time, let him simply enjoy a peaceful and blessed life."
After a long silence, Yuanzu spoke in a low voice.
The Saints exchanged glances. Some hesitated briefly, but seeing that the majority had silently agreed, they could only comply.
Jian Zhu watched this unfold, his mind conjuring up memories of fishing with Li Hao. He recalled the uncontainable joy in Li Hao's eyes when he caught a fish—that pure and heartfelt love for the world around him.
"Perhaps with the second Holy Infant, we can encourage him to distance himself from cultivation. Instead, we should nurture other interests and hobbies in him from an early age. It doesn't have to match Li Hao's experiences exactly."
Jian Zhu offered this suggestion softly.
Yuanzu glanced at him but remained silent.
Not long after, the second Holy Infant plan was launched.
In a certain divine dynasty within the mortal world, another child prodigy was born—a child of exceptional talent.
Time passed quickly.
In the mortal world, twenty years flew by.
In the Holy Land, only two years had passed.
During these twenty years, the second Holy Infant lived a life of luxury and love.
Under the Saints' careful arrangements, the people around him subtly discouraged cultivation, nurturing in him various hobbies instead—flower arranging, tea tasting, chess, fishing, and more.
Among the children of noble families, he was a unique presence. However, due to his prestigious family background, no one dared to speak ill of him.
Even without formal cultivation, the bones and foundation bestowed upon him by the Saints, combined with various treasures secretly added to his food, allowed him to grow stronger unconsciously.
By the age of twenty, despite showing disdain for cultivation and never taking it seriously, he still stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm.
Such progress was already remarkable, though it paled in comparison to the first Holy Infant.
However, for someone who never trained seriously to reach such a level, it was already terrifying.
This was the result of the Saints' meticulous control.
Having progressed to this stage, the Saints' attention to the mortal world grew even more intense.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Xuanpin Gate, two more years had quietly passed.
During these two years, Li Hao continued to slay wandering Gu Mo that approached the area.
However, with more and more Gu Mo territories being occupied and the frequency of wandering Gu Mo increasing, Li Hao sensed that this place could be exposed at any moment.
The Gu Mo corpses he had collected earlier had long since been consumed.
Now, with no time needed for cooking, Li Hao spent his days either carving to enhance his insights or studying the runes on the Xuanpin Gate.
Through painstaking research, Li Hao had gained a rough understanding of the runes. He realized that the power within was similar to Chaos Divine Flame, a force born from the origin of heaven and earth.
He referred to this force as Chaos Law or Heavenly Dao Law.
Li Hao found it impossible to replicate the runes to repair the gate because the gap between his cultivation and that of the Immortal Emperor was simply too vast.
Thus, he decided to use his own method to repair the breach by infusing it with his own strength.
The challenge, however, was that Li Hao was not skilled in formations or restrictions, which were needed to properly seal the breach.
But necessity is the mother of invention. Li Hao, whose body had achieved sainthood, had an extraordinary understanding of his own flesh.
He chose to use a part of his body—like a finger—to block the breach.
Li Hao had his reasons for this unconventional approach:
His body contained immortal power. By using his body, he would immediately know if the Xuanpin Gate was under attack.
Only someone at the True Immortal Realm or higher could destroy his body and break the breach.
Although Li Hao could not channel immortal power externally—since it would transform into boundless heaven and earth energy—he could directly use his body as a plug.
Realizing this clever solution, Li Hao felt excited. Though this method wasn't foolproof—since a Gu Mo leader could still break through—it was the best he could do at the moment.
The next step was to hide the Xuanpin Gate.
Li Hao gathered more rocks to conceal the gate and carefully arranged them to make the disguise appear natural.
Additionally, he left behind his Dark Aspect Clone to guard the area.
Given his current primordial spirit strength, even though the Dark Aspect Clone only inherited one-third of his power, its spirit energy was still terrifying.
The clone's spiritual sense could envelop the area, making it difficult for even second-tier Gu Mo to detect. Only first-tier Gu Mo leaders would have a chance to discover it.
However, the Xuanpin Gate's innate power could block True Immortals, ensuring that first-tier Gu Mo leaders couldn't enter.
The worst-case scenario was that even if the gate was breached, only second-tier and third-tier Gu Mo could enter the Zhu Sheng Holy Land.
"There's no point in staying here any longer. If a Gu Mo leader truly arrives, then it's just fate."
Li Hao gazed at the Xuanpin Gate, his eyes filled with longing.
It has been too long.
Calculating the time, Li Hao realized that it had been twelve years since he started fighting alongside Nan Gong Jian and later stayed here alone.
When he first arrived, he was not yet thirty years old.
"Twelve years... I bet those guys are still waiting behind the gate."
Li Hao's eyes flickered. The Saints had lifespans of tens of thousands of years. Some, like Yuanzu, had likely lived for over a hundred thousand years.
To them, twelve years was but a fleeting moment.
"But for them, I bet these twelve years have felt agonizing."
The thought made Li Hao laugh softly. He could easily imagine the Saints' nervous and anxious expressions.
However, the path to the Immortal God Realm was completely different from what they imagined.
Shaking his head, Li Hao entrusted everything to his Dark Aspect Clone.
Then, he entered Extreme Hua Xian mode, merging with the heavens and earth, and slipped through the breach in the Xuanpin Gate.
Before passing through completely, he detached a small portion of his flesh to seal the breach behind him. Only immortal power could bridge the gap.
As Li Hao traversed through, the starry sky within the ancient hall remained silent.
In front of the Xuanpin Gate, the Saints sat cross-legged, their minds immersed in observing the second Holy Infant in the mortal world.
For every year spent here, ten years passed in the mortal world. If another year passed, they would soon see whether this Holy Infant could comprehend the Heavenly Human Extreme Realm.
After all, he had already reached the Heavenly Human Realm, and the Saints had discreetly dispatched disciples to subtly guide and influence him.
Suddenly, Yuanzu and Shen Wang, who were seated in meditation, abruptly opened their eyes.
They sensed a powerful aura—vast and profound, something beyond the Saints' strength. It was an extraordinary force that exceeded sacred power.
"Immortal God?!"
The two of them looked up sharply, their eyes locking onto the towering ancient immortal gate.
They saw that outside the gate, an overwhelming power was seeping through. This power was terrifyingly immense, making the two feel their hearts tighten and breath quicken with shock.
"Has an Immortal God descended to this world?"
"Are they here to receive us?!"
Yuanzu's expression shifted from shock to excitement, his entire body trembling slightly with anticipation.
By now, the other Saints—though slower to react—also became aware of it.
"An Immortal God?"
The Saints were stunned. Had an Immortal God truly descended?
For twelve years, they had waited, hoping the Holy Infant would grow into the opportunity they sought. Yet instead of the Holy Infant, they now awaited an Immortal God descending to greet them?!
Everyone became ecstatic, their eyes locked onto the gate, staring at the vast and majestic aura emanating from it.
However, as the power began to recede and condense, it gradually revealed a familiar essence.
Yuanzu, who had been in a state of excitement, felt his face twitch slightly. His expression froze in disbelief, and his eyes slowly widened as he stared.
It's him?
In just twelve years… could it be that he had already become an Immortal God?!
Yuanzu felt his heart tighten as though gripped by an unseen force, an indescribable emotion swirling within him.
Soon, the immense power coalesced, transforming from boundless heaven-and-earth energy into a solid physical body. Bit by bit, a figure became visible.
As the body took form and Li Hao's aura spread across the space, the Saints all realized who it was.
For a moment, the hall fell into dead silence.
It was really Li Hao!
He had returned!
Among the crowd, Jian Zhu froze momentarily before a hint of joy appeared on his face.
In contrast, Jian Sheng stood there in disbelief. He hadn't expected that the overwhelming force they had sensed would belong to Li Hao.
As the Saints stared at Li Hao, their initial shock turned to expressions of complex emotions.
Yuanzu squinted his eyes, quickly sensing that Li Hao's aura remained at the Saint-level. The grand, overwhelming immortal energy from earlier had seemingly vanished, as though it had been a hallucination.
His gaze turned contemplative. If Li Hao truly were an Immortal God, there would be no need for him to hide his power before them.
Still, as Li Hao stood there, Yuanzu could sense that the boy had undergone profound changes—changes that he could not fathom, which made him uneasy.
"It's you?"
Shen Wang stood up, his gaze fixed sharply on Li Hao. His tone was heavy and his eyes full of vigilance.
For Li Hao to dare return, he must have calculated that the Saints posed no threat to him.
Shen Wang could also feel something within Li Hao that made him wary—an inexplicable power that was beyond belief.
"Still here? Quite the gathering."
Li Hao swept his gaze across the group, seeing all the Saints present. The numbers were fewer than he had expected, but his powerful primordial spirit could sense that there were many avatars seated outside the ancient hall as well.
Most of the Saints in Zhu Sheng Holy Land, whether present in person or through avatars, were here.
However, Li Hao noticed that Feng Lao and Huang Tian Sheng were not among them. He recalled their earlier statement that they didn't want to come here, and it seemed they had meant it.
When his gaze met Jian Zhu, he realized it was only an avatar. Smiling faintly, he nodded at him.
"Hao Tianzun, have you… acquired the Immortal God's secret techniques?"
A Saint within the crowd couldn't help but ask.
The other Saints stared at Li Hao with eyes full of mixed feelings and eagerness.
Li Hao frowned slightly at their gazes, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Calmly, he replied,
"Are you Saints still planning to make a move against me?"
"Hao Tianzun, we've been waiting for you. You cannot monopolize the path to the Immortal Gods! Cultivation depends on one's abilities—let us pass through too."
A Saint hurriedly spoke up.
Yuanzu and Shen Wang said nothing, their eyes locked on Li Hao as they contemplated their next steps.
Previously, they had forced Li Hao through the gate. He must harbor resentment against them. They needed to find a way to resolve this and mend their relationship.
Hearing the Saint's words, Li Hao couldn't help but find it amusing. If they knew the truth about the Immortal God path, they would probably flee instead.
"What do you two think?"
Li Hao looked calmly at Yuanzu and Shen Wang.
Yuanzu, observing Li Hao's composed demeanor, immediately realized that the boy must have a trump card. Numerous possibilities flashed through his mind—Li Hao might have joined an Immortal Sect, obtained a powerful treasure, or acquired an unimaginable Immortal technique.
Such thoughts made Yuanzu uneasy, but his face remained calm, a warm smile appearing as he said,
"Hao Tianzun, everything before was a misunderstanding. You must know we were only concerned that you were too young and unable to control the situation. Now that things have come to this, tell us—how can we make you feel at ease? We will comply."
Li Hao smirked coldly and replied,
"A misunderstanding? Yuanzu, you really know how to talk. But if you want to make amends, there's a way: two hundred pieces of heavenly treasures from each of you, and we'll let this go."
Yuanzu's expression shifted slightly, and Shen Wang's brows furrowed deeply.
"Hao Tianzun, heavenly treasures are exceedingly rare. Although I have accumulated many over the years, most have already been used to refine my Imperial Weapons. I may have some left, but I certainly don't have two hundred pieces."
Yuanzu spoke seriously, as though hoping Li Hao would understand.
Shen Wang added in a low voice, "You know my situation. I've only recently returned. Where am I supposed to find so many treasures? Don't be so unreasonable!"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow and said calmly,
"If you don't have them, fine—but I don't like the tone you're using."
"You—!"
Shen Wang clenched his fists in anger, but seeing that the Xuanpin Gate was under Li Hao's control and that they had no means to confront him, he could only suppress his frustration.
"How about this—we'll give you one hundred pieces between the two of us. That's already emptying our reserves."
Yuanzu said quietly, "If that still doesn't satisfy you, we can compensate you with something else. I can offer you the century-long incense power of a small world. Even though you've attained sainthood through sacrificial Dao, incense power would still be useful to you."
Li Hao's expression remained unmoved, though he understood that Yuanzu was telling the truth. A hundred pieces would indeed exhaust their treasures.
"And you?"
Li Hao turned to Shen Wang.
When Shen Wang saw Li Hao tacitly accept Yuanzu's offer, he let out a small sigh of relief and added thoughtfully, "I don't have such a wealth of treasures, as I cultivate the Extreme Dao. However, if you need it, and if others agree, I can slaughter an entire world for you and offer you its Extreme Dao power. Additionally, didn't you have a relationship with my younger generation? I can betroth her to you."
Li Hao paused for a moment, immediately realizing that he was talking about Ying Xiaoxiao.
His face grew cold, and he said, "What do you take her for, an object? You think you can just decide to hand her over?"
Shen Wang froze for a moment, seemingly confused by Li Hao's inexplicable anger. He frowned and said, "I am her progenitor. Marriages are arranged by parental consent. As the ancestor of her clan, my personal approval would be her greatest honor."
"So if I were to marry her, I'd have to call you 'Ancestor' as well?"
Li Hao sneered.
Shen Wang's face hardened. "If you don't wish to, then so be it."
Li Hao stared at him but didn't respond.
At this moment, the Saints exchanged glances and turned their attention to Yuanzu, who remained silent, staring at Li Hao. He did not object to Shen Wang's proposal.
The Saints weren't interested in Shen Wang's talk of marriage. To them, it was trivial. But Shen Wang's mention of slaughtering an entire world to obtain Extreme Dao power and offering it to Li Hao shocked many of them.
In the Thirty-Three Heavens, wiping out one world would reduce them to Thirty-Two Heavens.
Jian Zhu looked toward Li Hao, his expression conflicted and hesitant. He wanted to stop it—if it had been anyone else, he would have outright opposed it.
But since the beneficiary was Li Hao, his feelings became contradictory. Yet deep inside, he knew he could not accept such methods, even for Li Hao.
After some thought, he finally said, "Hao Tian... Yuanzu…"
Jian Sheng noticed his senior brother's thoughts and his face turned pale. He glanced at Jian Zhu nervously. At a time like this, offending Li Hao would sever their only path to the Immortal Gods.
But Jian Zhu ignored him. His heart was resolute, rooted in his Dao of the sword—he would not allow such a disgraceful act to stain it.
The other Saints looked at Jian Zhu with complex expressions.
Yi Sheng remained silent for a long while, then looked at Li Hao and turned toward Yuanzu. He said, "Yuanzu, this act goes against the harmony of heaven. Why not ask Shen Wang to find another way?"
"That's right. An entire small world contains countless lives. You all condemned Shen Wang in the past for cultivating the Extreme Dao because it was too cruel and inhumane. Are we now going to follow in his footsteps?"
Wen Sheng also spoke with a low and solemn voice.
If he were to allow such a thing, his Dao of Literature would shatter. His own cultivation would not permit such cruelty.
"Sacrificing the few for the greater good—if necessary, it's not an unreasonable price. After all, they can still reincarnate," argued one of the Saints.
"Exactly. If we achieve immortality, we can open this world's path. In the future, everyone will have the chance to become an Immortal. Temporarily sacrificing one world is a small price to pay."
"They may even thank us in the end," another Saint added.
Wen Sheng trembled with rage. "How can you compare this? Even if there's reincarnation, does the past life become the present? Tell me—if you have a past life, do you treat yourself as the same person now?"
The Saints were all once mortals who had reincarnated through life cycles. Hearing Wen Sheng's comparison made some of them frown.
A Saint retorted, "For mortals, who know neither good nor evil, nor understand the Dao of Heaven, life and death are nothing but suffering. For some, living is even more painful. If we erase them quickly, we shorten their pain—it isn't such a sin."
Wen Sheng trembled with fury, his lips quivering. They twisted the narrative to such a degree that they justified this heinous act as though it were a noble deed.
"Do you have any respect for the faith of those countless people?"
Wen Sheng questioned angrily.
Some Saints supported him, standing up and speaking out.
Not all Saints present could stomach such a heartless act.
However, Saints like Wen Sheng and Jian Zhu were in the minority.
The majority of Saints began arguing again, escalating their claims with increasingly exaggerated reasoning.
Li Hao listened to their words, feeling a mix of absurdity and sorrow. In his eyes, these so-called Saints resembled ordinary people quarreling over gains and losses.
Yes, the pursuit of gain and loss—how many could truly transcend it? Who could let go and simply accept their fate? If they could, they wouldn't have become Saints in the first place.
Reaching this level required incredible effort and constant competition for heaven's fortune.
Li Hao's gaze shifted to Yuanzu, who remained silent throughout.
Then he looked at Fa Sheng, who also stayed silent.
For them, achieving immortality was worth more than the sacrifice of a single world.
Even if Shen Wang proposed it and executed it, they were tacitly allowing it to happen.
Li Hao turned to Fa Sheng and asked, "What about you? What does your Dao of Justice say?"
Fa Sheng hadn't expected Li Hao to question him directly. His face grew slightly uneasy, and after a moment, he said, "The world is full of disasters and hardships. These do not fall within the scope of justice. The highest law is the Law of Heaven, which follows the principle of survival of the fittest. All things follow this law—birds eat worms, and hawks eat birds."
Li Hao nodded and said, "So that's your Law of Justice—a law of self-interest."
Fa Sheng's face stiffened with anger, but he suppressed it, unwilling to confront Li Hao.
Disappointed, Li Hao lost his earlier enthusiasm for returning. His voice turned flat as he said, "I don't need such Extreme Dao power. There's no need for further discussion."
Hearing Li Hao's words, the Saints fell silent.
Wen Sheng and a few others showed relief and admiration. They hadn't known Li Hao well before, but now they saw his true nature in the face of immense temptation.
Jian Zhu also breathed a sigh of relief. He had suspected that Li Hao would refuse, but hearing it confirmed still reassured him. He felt he hadn't misjudged Li Hao's character.
The other Saints, though disappointed, also felt a strange sense of relief. While they supported the idea, they preferred not to see it come to fruition.
Shen Wang asked, "Then what compensation do you want?"
"Extreme Dao Offensive Techniques and the Blood Source Divine Art," Li Hao said calmly.
The first was a secret method Shen Wang had developed to wield Extreme Dao power, and the second was his ultimate trump card—a technique that allowed him to absorb the power of his clan's bloodline and briefly boost his strength to an unfathomable level.
This was the method Shen Wang had relied on to challenge Yuanzu.
Li Hao had noticed it during the Xu Tian Abyss battle. By acquiring this method, he could develop a countermeasure.
Shen Wang's face darkened when he heard this. Both techniques were central to his power, especially the Blood Source Divine Art, which was his strongest trump card.
"The Blood Source Divine Art is impossible, but I can give you the Offensive Techniques. Additionally, I know of a forbidden land where a top-tier Immortal-grade divine medicine grows. It can help you refine your Body Sanctification to a higher level. How about that in exchange?" Shen Wang suggested.
Li Hao frowned slightly. Seeing Shen Wang's resolute expression, he realized that the Blood Source Divine Art was Shen Wang's bottom line.
He didn't insist further. At his current strength, he no longer needed such methods to defeat Shen Wang.
"Fine," Li Hao agreed.
Seeing Li Hao's acceptance, both Shen Wang and Yuanzu sighed in relief.
The other Saints also relaxed, smiles spreading across their faces.
"Very well. I will have it prepared immediately. Tianyu, bring me the Incense Flame Treasure Box," Yuanzu ordered.
Among the Saints, Xiao Tianyu's face turned complicated. Once a competitor of Li Hao, he now watched as Li Hao became someone the Saints dared not offend.
Nodding silently, Xiao Tianyu left to fulfill the order.
Shen Wang quickly transmitted the Extreme Dao techniques and the forbidden land's location to Li Hao through his divine sense.
Soon, Xiao Tianyu returned, holding a treasure box in his hands.
This was a Dao Tribulation Imperial Weapon, a first-tribulation level artifact capable of storing incense power.
Yuanzu handed the box to Li Hao and said, "This holds the incense power of an entire small world for a hundred years. If you use it to sanctify yourself, it can help you withstand Earth Tribulation and ascend to the level of a Two-Calamity Saint."
Li Hao accepted it without hesitation.
"What about the heavenly treasures?"
Yuanzu and Shen Wang exchanged glances and communicated through divine sense.
Shen Wang muttered, "I only have thirty pieces left. You'll have to cover the remaining twenty."
Yuanzu's expression darkened for a moment but eventually agreed. After some negotiation, the two Saints managed to gather one hundred heavenly treasures and handed them to Li Hao.
Li Hao accepted them and stored everything away.
"Now then, will you open the path to the Immortal Gods for us?" Shen Wang asked with a heavy voice.
Li Hao raised an eyebrow and said, "When did I ever say I would let you through? Weren't these just your gifts to make amends for last time?"
Hearing this, Yuanzu and Shen Wang's faces darkened. The other Saints froze in shock, their expressions shifting to anger and helplessness.
"Hao Tianzun, now that you've accepted our compensation, this path belongs to everyone. You are one of us. If we all enter the Immortal Gods' domain, won't it benefit us all?" Yuanzu said, his tone still soft and persuasive.
Li Hao nodded and replied, "If it were as you imagine, I wouldn't stop you. But unfortunately, the other side of this gate is far more dangerous than you think. If you enter, you will die without question."