Chapter 515: The Rest Before the Battle
Meanwhile, outside the Divine Tree.
Figures leaped down from the Divine Tree, and an external force pushed them away from the tree.
"Is it ending already? I was so close to comprehending the Third Realm!"
"Time flies so fast, has seven years really passed?"
The figures landed beneath the Time Divine Tree, and immediately, they communicated with their personal immortal weapons, confirming the time and realizing that they were about to leave this Primordial Secret Realm.
"Has seven years really passed? The Southern Region War…"
Under the Divine Tree, Chu Yue Li stood among the crowd, her eyes a little dazed. Seven years had passed in the blink of an eye, and the Southern Region War was about to begin.
Suddenly, her gaze turned toward the Divine Tree, where she saw a figure sitting on the branch. Her face changed slightly, showing a trace of displeasure.
But soon, she relaxed, realizing that the other's cultivation hadn't improved in seven years; he was still at the Ninth Realm of the True Immortal.
Cultivating in the Primordial Secret Realm was indeed a waste of time. Gaining insights was far more valuable.
Even if Li Hao managed to step into the Tenth Realm of the True Immortal before leaving, breaking into the Immortal Lord realm still required both opportunity and enlightenment.
"What does it matter if he ranks among the True Immortal group? His final rank will still be below even the lowest Immortal Lord!"
Chu Yue Li sneered inwardly. By then, she would have an excuse to ask her father to call off the engagement.
On the Divine Tree, figures like Chu Tianhuang and others, who had been perched high on the branches several meters above Li Hao, slowly opened their eyes and withdrew their minds. Though they harbored some regret, none of them showed any emotion outwardly. They slowly stood up and prepared to bid farewell to the Divine Tree.
Had they been able to continue cultivating here for a few more years, they felt they could make great strides, but time was of the essence.
"Let's go. I'll see you at the Southern Region War," Chu Tianhuang said as he noticed Li Hao standing up from the branch below and called out to him.
The others glanced at Li Hao, remembering his face but not paying him much attention.
Though Li Hao's performance in the Dao of Time had earned them some respect, the difference between their realms was evident. If it came to battle, they were worlds apart. By the time Li Hao's strength reached a level where he could compete with them, they would have already reached higher realms.
Only combat power was the final measure; otherwise, even the Dao of Time or Dao of Space would just be empty shells.
"Hmm."
Li Hao nodded, descending from the tree branch alongside Chu Tianhuang.
"Hao Tian."
Yue Xi saw Li Hao and quickly called out to him.
Li Hao glanced at her, flew toward her, and asked, "How's your comprehension going?"
"I'm doing fine, but my Immortal Seal has gained an additional flower, and it's in the Dao of Time."
Yue Xi said, excitement in her eyes. Coming here to comprehend the Dao of Time and adding a flower to her Immortal Seal had greatly increased her strength.
"Congratulations."
Li Hao smiled.
On the other side, Chu Yue Li saw Li Hao laughing and talking with Yue Xi, who was dressed in pure white, with an otherworldly, beautiful appearance. Her face immediately changed, flashing a hint of anger.
She had an engagement with him, yet he was acting so intimate with another woman in public, completely disregarding her.
But thinking back to how their previous conversations had ended in failure, she gritted her teeth in silence and swore to herself that she would eventually go to her father to call off the engagement.
"Let's go."
Li Hao invited Yue Xi to leave.
At this time, the people under the other Divine Trees looked at each other. Some seemed to have had conflicts earlier and spoke out, challenging each other to a duel.
Li Hao noticed Jin Fengling, whom he had encountered earlier. The other noticed him too. They exchanged a brief glance, neither speaking, but both eyes filled with killing intent.
Li Hao's expression remained calm as he left with Yue Xi.
Others also stepped onto the teleportation portal in front of the Divine Trees, preparing to leave this Primordial City of Time and Space.
"Young man, the opportunity of Dao Source is hidden within the Dao Heart."
Just as Li Hao was about to leave, a cool and calm voice suddenly entered his mind.
Li Hao froze for a moment, then turned to look at the brilliant Time Primordial Divine Tree behind him. He stood still, cupping his hands in a deep bow to the tree, then turned and left.
Yue Xi, who was next to him, watched Li Hao's actions with confusion. But recalling that they had come here to comprehend the Dao, she realized that they had received the Time Primordial Divine Tree's favor. She immediately followed Li Hao's lead and bowed to the tree.
Those who passed by noticed their actions but only sneered slightly, then left.
After leaving the Primordial City of Time and Space, Li Hao and Yue Xi arrived at the Heavenly Dao Bridge outside.
At this moment, the Heavenly Dao Bridge was filled with figures, but the once radiant flow of light across the bridge had now quieted down.
"Come over. Once everyone's here, I'll send you all on your way," a voice, ancient and calm, called out.
Li Hao immediately recognized it as the voice of the old master. He looked around and soon saw the old master's figure in the void outside the bridge. He immediately flew over with Yue Xi.
"Thank you for your previous help, Senior."
Yue Xi quickly bowed when she saw the old master.
The old master waved his hand and said, "If you're going to thank someone, thank your friend. I was only following his request."
Yue Xi was stunned and looked at Li Hao beside her, quickly understanding. A complex expression flashed in her eyes, and she whispered, "Thank you!"
Li Hao smiled and said, "We are of the same sect. There's no need for thanks."
Yue Xi didn't say anything further but stood by Li Hao's side, waiting for the others from the Yan Chu Immortal Court to arrive.
Soon, figures began to appear on the Heavenly Dao Bridge, gathering around the old master.
Chu Tianhuang and the others arrived. As the leader of the royal family, Chu Tianhuang quickly had other royal family members gather around him, with Chu Yue Li among them.
However, with so many people around, Chu Yue Li saw Li Hao and her expression remained unchanged. She acted as if she hadn't seen him.
She didn't confront Li Hao in public to avoid causing a scandal about their engagement and losing face.
Before long, Gu Yan and the others also emerged.
After years of absence, Li Hao noticed a significant change in Gu Yan's aura. He had become much more restrained and profound, reaching the peak of the Tenth Realm of True Immortal, though he hadn't yet stepped into the Immortal Lord realm.
Though the difference between True Immortal and Immortal Lord was a fine line, many geniuses remained stuck at this bottleneck for thousands of years without breaking through. To do so within a thousand years was considered a matter of opportunity and luck.
Gu Yan saw Li Hao and nodded at him, his expression extremely calm, like a sword hidden in its sheath.
"Nice to see you again. Which city did you go to?" A figure accompanied by starlight appeared—Star Lan. She floated down from the Heavenly Dao Bridge, smiling at Li Hao.
Li Hao noticed she looked even more radiant than before, with starlight faintly surrounding her, as if she were connected to some innate Dao chart.
"I went to the Primordial City of Time and Space, how about you?"
Li Hao asked.
Star Lan's eyes revealed envy, and she said, "I wasn't that fortunate. I didn't capture the Dao Source of Time and Space, so I had to settle for the Primordial City of Shaped Dao."
Li Hao guessed where she had gone. After all, he had been to both the Five Dao Primordial City and the Primordial City of Time and Space, but hadn't seen her there.
"That's not bad either, since it's part of the Nine Sequences," Li Hao said.
Star Lan smiled and said, "Seven years is too short. If it were seven hundred years, that would be great."
"Probably everyone feels that way," Li Hao laughed.
Not far away, Chu Yue Li's eyes turned cold as she looked away.
Soon, as more people arrived, the group was nearly complete. The old master spoke:
"Let's go. I'll send you all off. Go back and prepare for the battle. You are all the outstanding talents of my court, and you must make us proud."
"Yes!"
Many responded loudly, leaving the regrets of parting the Primordial Secret Realm behind, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Following the old master's lead, they were brought back to the Primordial City's guiding city. The old master then opened a portal above the courtyard and began sending each person through.
"You little brat, time is tight, so I won't keep you. When you have a chance, come back here, and I'll play a game of chess with you," the old master's voice entered Li Hao's mind as he saw him off.
Li Hao was momentarily stunned but quickly responded, "Next time, definitely!"
"Make sure to perform well. If you can secure a good ranking in the Southern Region War, His Majesty will surely reward you with another chance to come and comprehend in the Primordial Secret Realm," the old master's voice continued, full of warmth.
"Mm."
Li Hao agreed, then followed Yue Xi, Gu Yan, and the others into the portal, leaving the Primordial Secret Realm.
After they exited the Primordial Secret Realm, they found themselves in the Chaos Secret Realm, the same place they had entered earlier. Numerous figures had gathered in the plains outside, and a strong Immortal King aura could be felt from the front, where an Immortal King was teaching, guiding cultivators, and answering their questions.
As Li Hao and Chu Tianhuang's group of geniuses from the Primordial Secret Realm emerged, the calm of the Chaos Secret Realm was broken. Many people opened their eyes, sensing familiar and powerful auras.
"It's Chu Tianhuang!"
"The royals, they've returned!"
"Star Lan, Tian Hong Yi, they've all returned. Has the cultivation in the Primordial Secret Realm ended?"
"Yeah, it's been seven years, seven years!"
The people in the Chaos Secret Realm stood up, their eyes filled with a mix of shock, envy, and regret, along with a sense of anticipation for the upcoming Southern Region War. Although they couldn't compete with geniuses like Chu Tianhuang, if they could stand out in the war and show their talents, they would still be remembered by many.
After all, the Southern Region War would be known across the entire Grand Thousand True Realm. Even if only a fraction of attention was focused on them, the number of eyes watching would be unimaginable.
"How powerful, compared to seven years ago, their auras seem to have grown stronger!"
"Indeed, our sect's eldest senior brother, Nie Yuanshan, is clearly much more terrifying now!"
"Training in the Primordial Secret Realm, I heard that it's a thousand miles a day. The gap between us and them has grown even larger, and I fear it will only continue to widen in the future!"
"I've heard that after the Southern Region War, those who perform well will have a chance to enter the Primordial True Realm to cultivate. That is the highest place for cultivation in the True Realm!"
"Don't think too much. The Primordial True Realm is a great place for cultivation, but it's also extremely dangerous. Many geniuses who entered before ended up being buried there."
The people in the Chaos Secret Realm were discussing amongst themselves.
The Yan Chu Immortal Court had a thousand places for the war, but only a hundred of them had entered the Primordial Secret Realm. The other nine hundred stayed in the Chaos Secret Realm.
Amidst the discussions, suddenly, the sound of dragon roars rang out, coming from afar.
Chu Xiang Tian was seen riding the ancestral dragon, clad in royal armor. He stood above the Chaos Secret Realm, overlooking everyone, and said:
"The Southern Region War will take place in three months. At that time, all of you are to gather at the Imperial Capital at the Immortal Ascension Platform and go to the Supreme Heavenly Palace to fight!"
"For the next three months, you should all focus on solidifying your foundation. Also, remember that during the Southern Region War, immortal weapons and treasures will be prohibited. You will only rely on your own abilities. Don't resort to underhanded tricks and make the Immortal Court lose face!"
His voice was sharp and imposing, like the sound of a gong, shaking everyone's heart.
As one of the most powerful royal princes, he was already at the peak of the Immortal Lord realm, able to look down on many Immortal Lords and even exchange blows with Immortal Kings for a short while. His strength was one that Li Hao and other new-generation geniuses could only look up to!
The plains grew quiet as people's thoughts swirled.
"Do it for your sect, do it for yourselves. I hope you all put forth your best efforts. Go!"
Chu Xiang Tian's voice rang out.
Everyone felt a slight release of pressure from above and couldn't help but feel awed. This royal prince's presence was even stronger than that of many sect masters. This was the royal family of the ancient Immortal Court!
Chu Tianhuang and the others, seeing Chu Xiang Tian's powerful figure and imposing demeanor, each had different expressions in their eyes, flashing with various emotions.
"Hmph!"
After Chu Xiang Tian finished speaking, Chu Yue Li glanced at the boy from a distance, flicked her sleeve, and flew off, leading the way out of the area.
The rest of the royal family members also hurriedly left to make their final preparations.
"Hao Tian, goodbye."
Before leaving, Chu Tianhuang flew over to Li Hao, smiling as he spoke.
Li Hao immediately felt the gazes of several royal family members focusing on him. His eyes flickered slightly. The simple greeting from Chu Tianhuang seemed to carry deeper meaning, almost as if he was subtly announcing his relationship with Li Hao to the other royals.
These royal sons were constantly fighting for power and influence, and Li Hao understood the underlying dynamics. However, he didn't want to think too much about it. Everything that was uncertain was simply empty speculation. All changes came from the heart. Facing the greeting, he simply smiled and nodded in return.
After Chu Tianhuang left, Gu Yan suddenly transmitted a message to Li Hao:
"Are you willing to follow this royal family?"
Li Hao understood that Chu Tianhuang's greeting had already had an effect. Gu Yan likely wasn't the only one thinking this way. Other royal family members would probably have similar thoughts. If they encountered opposing royal family factions, they would most likely come to trouble him. If he didn't manage this situation carefully, he could end up pushing himself closer to Chu Tianhuang, cementing their relationship and making it truly tight-knit.
"No, it was just a brief acquaintance," Li Hao transmitted back.
Gu Yan seemed to visibly relax upon hearing this, his tone carrying a hint of relief as he said, "The imperial family's conflicts are extremely complicated. As cultivators, we shouldn't waste our prime years and time on this. As long as we're strong enough, even the imperial family will bow before us. True strength doesn't need these complications."
Li Hao laughed at his words and replied, "You don't need to worry about me. You've gained quite a bit this time as well. Go back and absorb what you've learned."
Gu Yan stared at Li Hao for a moment and nodded.
"Let's go."
Li Hao also began to move. He had become a central figure in the Sword Abyss, and now, he led the way out of the secret realm.
Outside the Chaos Secret Realm was the Ancient Immortal Realm, where royal guards had already formed long lines, seemingly waiting for the many geniuses to return from the secret realm.
Along the way, guards stood firm in the sky, respectfully sending them off. Beyond the Ancient Immortal Realm was the teleportation array, the first teleportation array in the Yan Chu territory, capable of sending people to various parts of the Nine Thousand Immortal Cities.
Li Hao and the others returned to the Great Dream Nine Abyss.