Chapter 562: The Supreme's Game of Chess
Li Hao froze, wondering if he had misheard. He had thought the Supreme would make other demands—perhaps require him to hand over the inheritance from the Emperor's Hall, or even lead him to the Tianyang False Realm.
But he hadn't expected the Supreme's request to be… to take him as a disciple?
He was confused, gazing at the Supreme, finding it hard to read the man's intentions.
Then a new possibility struck him.
If the Tianyang Immortal Emperor had truly defected back then, with such a heavy accusation pinned to his name, why was the Tianyang False Realm still left untouched?
If that realm had been hidden in territory infested with ancient demons and they simply didn't want to expend the effort, maybe that could be justified. But after he met Chi Ying, and she led the Heavenly Palace soldiers to the False Realm to exterminate demons, it proved they did have the means to access the battlefield.
Chi Ying herself was only at the Immortal Lord stage—not a high-ranking cultivator. For the Heavenly Palace, dispatching a few peak Immortal Lords—or even Immortal Kings—would be effortless.
And if, in the past, they were unaware that place was the Tianyang False Realm, after Chi Ying's visit and report, the Heavenly Palace should have been informed. Yet still, nothing was done.
Such inconsistency was suspicious. Where something seems off, there's usually something hidden. Li Hao lacked enough information to be sure, but the contradictions stirred his unease.
Then, it hit him.
Perhaps the Supreme had known about the Tianyang False Realm all along.
If Tianyang Immortal Emperor was a confirmed traitor, acknowledged by all, with damning evidence, then preserving the Tianyang False Realm felt ominous.
Perhaps it was bait.
And that bait was designed to fish.
The Supreme had mentioned how Tianyang's disgrace had dragged down many clans and forces—many were executed or destroyed.
But… were they truly all eliminated?
Maybe not. In that case, the Tianyang False Realm would be left as bait.
If any of those clans found it and settled there in secret to rebuild, it would give the Heavenly Palace the justification to wipe them out once more…
A chill ran down Li Hao's back.
As someone who fished others, and who also played the game of chess, he knew the signs. He now believed more than ever that the Tianyang False Realm was bait—a colossal bait.
A realm built atop the Dao of Heaven, now a lure and a chess piece.
It was a trap.
The more he thought, the more convinced he became. This wasn't paranoia—it was the logical conclusion of all the irregularities he had noticed.
He was a chess player of eleven segments—transcendent, nearing immortality. He could both set traps and see through them.
But right now, he was inside the trap—and the game was immense. He was most likely just a piece on the board.
And if the Tianyang False Realm was the bait, and the Supreme had already been informed by Chi Ying long ago, then he had long known Li Hao's identity.
Yet he hadn't acted—until now, with Li Hao stepping into the Southern Domain Tournament, and arriving before the Supreme himself.
It all seemed to flow naturally. But Li Hao suddenly sensed an unseen hand pushing him along.
He had been brought to this tournament by Da Meng Jiu Yuan Sect, but Li Hao didn't believe this was the sect leader's doing. Instead…
He turned his gaze toward the Chu Emperor.
As the ruler of an ancient immortal dynasty, how could that man not have guessed Li Hao's identity?
Back in the Ancient Immortal Realm, Li Hao had used the Qing Tian Sword Technique in plain view when defeating Chu Tianzheng. Could they not have drawn the connection?
Yet they had said nothing. Instead, they had proposed a marriage, trying to tie him to the Chu royal family—as if trying to pull him in for their own use.
Two possibilities came to Li Hao's mind.
One: the Chu Emperor had been blind to it all.
Two: the Chu Emperor had done it deliberately.
If it was the second, why?
If he wanted Li Hao dead, it would only take a flick of the finger.
So did he want to deliver Li Hao to the Supreme to curry favor?
Unlikely. As a peak Immortal King, possibly even half a step into the Immortal Emperor realm, why would he need to bow and scrape?
Then there was one possibility left: the Chu Emperor intended to sacrifice Li Hao, to sever any lingering connection with Tianyang Immortal Emperor.
But it had been ten thousand years. Was that really still necessary?
The deeper Li Hao thought, the more troubled he became.
"What are you thinking about?"
A cold voice interrupted. Mingyue frowned and said sharply, "My master is speaking to you. Didn't you hear? Such disrespect—you're standing before the Supreme of the Southern Domain, the emperor of all immortals and gods!"
Li Hao snapped out of it. At her words, he looked again at the emperors. Now, in their dark and ambiguous expressions, he read something else.
Pity. Regret.
Li Hao's heart tensed.
So… they already knew his identity. They saw he was in a trap. But earlier, when he didn't realize he was just a piece on the board, they stayed silent.
Now, he barely understood the trap he was in—and the game was being played by the Supreme himself. The other side? Unclear. Maybe the Chu Emperor. Maybe more.
He took a deep breath and said to the Supreme, "Those immortal techniques are powerful. Why must I abandon them? The techniques are innocent—like a sword, neither good nor evil."
"How dare you speak to Master like that!" Mingyue snapped angrily.
Li Hao ignored her, locking eyes with the Supreme. But even that brief gaze left his head buzzing, as if he were plummeting into an endless void. He had to look away, his heart uneasy.
"There is no shortage of such techniques in this world," said the Supreme calmly. "Others can replace them. If you pass the test and enter my tutelage, I will pass down stronger techniques myself. Do you accept?"
At those words, every gaze locked on Li Hao.
Far away in the starry sky, Wang Shanhe's face changed. The Heavenly Emperor was openly trying to take his master's disciple?
He grew nervous. The Tianyang Immortal Emperor had fallen. The Heavenly Emperor was alive. The choice seemed obvious.
Elsewhere, a figure in cyan-blue robes soared through the stars. She trailed streaks of seven-colored mist behind her. She glanced at the scene reflected in the sky, lips tightly pressed.
She could see the past and the future. She had already known this moment would come.
And so, she wasn't surprised.
In Wenxin Futu City...
On the hillside, Han Laotou raised his wine gourd, took a sip, and calmly watched the youth in the clouds, waiting for his answer. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, eyes holding a hint of self-mockery.
'Kid… looks like we'll be walking separate paths soon.'
He thought of the gift he'd given. That had been a moment of recklessness. Once the boy joined that man's sect, the other would surely discover that this youth's Dao Heart wasn't just a mere Eternal Dao Heart. He'd also see Han Laotou's handiwork. No doubt, the Supreme would come knocking again.
He let out a cold smile. 'Let him come. I'll fight him again if I must.'
In the Yanchu region, across the nine thousand immortal cities, figures hidden in various corners wore grim expressions, fists clenched in rage and sorrow—but all of them could only endure.
They'd endured this humiliation too many times to count.
And now, what was one more?
Grinding their teeth until they cracked, gripping their fists until blood dripped, still… they endured.
While the entire Southern Domain focused on Li Hao, he stood in the clouds, his gaze calm as he asked, "What if I say no?"
Gasps echoed across the mountaintop.
Everyone had assumed Li Hao would accept without hesitation—abandon the past and turn toward the light. After all, compared to a fallen Immortal Emperor, wasn't a living Supreme the obvious choice?
But the fact that he hesitated—let alone questioned—was unthinkable.
Out in the stars, Wang Shanhe froze. Then, tears welled in his bloodshot eyes.
Even if Li Hao was eventually forced to bow before the Supreme, this one question alone was enough to make those countless games of Go outside the old straw hut worth it.
In another part of the sky, a figure clad in blue-green robes soared silently. The boy's answer did not surprise her—she had already seen it. She had seen everything from his birth until now, countless times over.
Perhaps she was a stranger to him. But to her, he was already as familiar as family.
Back in the nine thousand cities of Yanchu, many sorrowful figures shed silent tears.
"Good, good, good… It's been ten thousand years. At last, someone dares question him again. As expected of the disciple chosen by that man!"
"Poor child. You've only lived a hundred years. You shouldn't have been dragged into this. Those three promissory notes—others might not believe, but we do!"
"Child, don't make a foolish mistake…"
That one quiet question, spoken from the clouds, filled them with comfort that soothed even their long-suppressed rage. It turned their fury into sorrowful affection.
Among the clouds, Jianxin and Mingyue's expressions stiffened, their faces darkening.
The Supreme's gaze remained calm, carrying the weight of a god above all, his voice steady and measured:
"If you refuse, I will still spare your life—for the sake of the Southern Domain. Our race is sorely lacking in talent."
Cheers erupted. Countless voices praised the Supreme's mercy.
Li Hao let out a quiet breath—but he knew it wasn't that simple.
He asked, "If that's the case, I thank Your Excellency for your kindness. But I already have a master. No matter who I follow, if the ancient demons attack again—if there's a place for me—I'll fight."
His words rang out clearly, filled with sincerity.
After all, not only did the flesh of ancient demons strengthen his soul, but the memory of them ravaging the Tianyang False Realm remained vivid in his mind. He would not allow such horrors to spread.
If calamity came, he wouldn't flee. When the nest is destroyed, no egg survives.
Gasps echoed again.
He had actually turned down the Supreme's offer?
To become a direct disciple—one of the Supreme's personal students—was a privilege of the highest order. In the Southern Domain, such status meant walking unhindered, above all law.
Even Jianxin and Mingyue, if they caused trouble, would have entire immortal dynasties forced to apologize to the Heavenly Palace.
"He actually..."
Shock spread among the other competitors.
Even the Immortal Lord realm powerhouses—Chu Tianhuang, Boya Xuejian, and others from powerful clans—were stunned.
They had joined this tournament to prove themselves, to find a master. And now, the greatest opportunity of all had been offered to Li Hao… and he declined it.
"What is he thinking?"
Chu Yueli was dumbfounded. When the Supreme had first shown interest in Li Hao, she had been thrilled—if her husband became the Supreme's disciple, she would outrank every other royal in Yanchu.
Even her monstrous older siblings would no longer dare look down on her.
But then… Li Hao refused?
Her joy turned to fury. Her face darkened like iron. She wanted to rush forward and demand why.
As the crowd reeled, the Supreme remained composed.
"Though I spare your life, your body carries things that must not exist. The disciple brand on your soul must be erased. In other words, I will preserve part of your memory, and prepare for you a new reincarnated vessel. Will you accept?"
Li Hao's face changed.
He had known it wouldn't be that simple.
A new reincarnated vessel?
Wasn't that just another form of killing him?
And if only part of his memory remained… would that even still be him?
The Supreme had phrased it gently—but it was as brutal as ever.
Li Hao's expression darkened. It was clear there was no real choice.
From the crowd's reaction, no one found this surprising. With Li Hao's identity, if the Supreme did nothing, what example would that set? If others betrayed humanity, how would they be judged?
"So I don't really get a choice," Li Hao said coldly. "What's the test for becoming your disciple?"
The Supreme answered calmly, "Simple. Endure three strikes from Jianxin. If you can withstand them, you pass."
All eyes turned to Jianxin.
He blinked, then his gaze sharpened coldly.
In his mind, Mingyue's voice echoed, "Senior Brother, go all out. I don't want this guy to become our fellow disciple."
"Don't worry," Jianxin replied. "Neither do I."
Mingyue let out a quiet breath and looked toward Li Hao with a frosty smile.
If he failed and couldn't become the Supreme's disciple, he wouldn't meet a good end.
She was already itching to strike him down herself.