"Who is Insect Two?"
At the Great Dream Nine Abyss war camp, elders from Nine Abyss and elite disciples from each abyss were present. They looked up at the magnificent Immortal Merit Board, and when they saw the name appearing in golden light, they all wore puzzled expressions, having never heard of such a person.
"The previous hundredth place has been squeezed down. This is a newcomer, never been on the board before."
"No such figure exists in other Immortal Sects. Most likely someone from the Immortal Army, so it's not really related to us."
"Fortunately, Qing Xuan hunted quite a few Ancient Demons this time, and his Immortal Merit has increased. He's now ranked 98th, without falling off the board."
"Qing Xuan and Shuang Xue, along with the two elders, are now the only hope for our Immortal Sect."
"The total Immortal Merit of our entire sect is already over 1.5 million. In this battle, we've accumulated a million Immortal Merit together!"
"Just saw that the Five Great Heavenly Unity Sects also gained a lot. Illusion Sea Gate has surged nearly two million Immortal Merit, and adding to their previous amount, they've already broken through three million!"
"The others, Myriad Mountains Sword Pavilion and Starry Hall, are close behind, only about ten thousand apart."
"Compared to them, we still have a significant gap. However, our total Immortal Merit has already caught up with some second-tier Heavenly Sects."
The crowd discussed animatedly. Wei Hongye and Lu Wuchen both looked at their Senior Brother beside them, their eyes filled with admiration.
Within the Great Dream Nine Abyss, Sword Abyss was currently being propped up by Ji Qingxuan. Among the Nine Abyss disciples, only Qin Shuangxue of Spear Abyss could surpass him.
The other seven abysses didn't have anyone comparable to Ji Qingxuan.
However, although he brought glory to their lineage, this Immortal Merit Board competition, besides the many benefits of Immortal Merit itself, was also related to the honor and disgrace of the entire sect. They actually hoped for even more monstrous figures to emerge from other abysses.
Unfortunately, they hadn't seen any yet.
"This name 'Insect Two' is strange, perhaps not a real name. I wonder who this person is," Lu Wuchen murmured, his calm eyes slightly flickering as he looked up at the Immortal Merit Board.
Wei Hongye nodded, a helpless smile appearing on the corner of her lips. "Someone who has obtained a million Immortal Merit alone, it would be great if this person could join our Immortal Sect. With his Immortal Merit, we could even catch up to Myriad Mountains Sword Pavilion."
"To hunt so much Immortal Merit and not have been on the Immortal Merit Board before, it means their Immortal Merit wasn't even as much as Senior Brother's."
Lu Wuchen shook his head. "Being able to accumulate so much Immortal Merit in just one battle, it's only possible for someone in the high ranks of the Xian Lord Realm."
The so-called high ranks referred to the sixth to ninth level of the Xian Lord Realm.
"High ranks of the Xian Lord Realm…"
Wei Hongye stared at the name. Becoming a powerhouse in the Xian Lord Realm was the lifelong pursuit of many True Immortals.
As for the King Realm, those were hegemons in the entire True World. It was difficult to reach that realm solely through talent and cultivation; rare opportunities were also needed.
Even obtaining the inheritance of a so-called Xian King Realm powerhouse, including picking up some Chaos treasures, might not allow a Xian Lord Realm cultivator to break through that barrier.
Because King Realms cannot cultivate King Realms, unless it's a King Realm Completion stage, or even a Quasi-Emperor Realm powerhouse, only then would they have some confidence in cultivating a King Realm through their own methods and plans.
"Let's rest and recuperate properly. I don't know when the next Ancient Demon invasion will be. If there are no more invasions within ten years, then this Immortal Merit Board ranking will be completely set!"
Ji Qingxuan said to the two of them with a solemn expression.
Wei Hongye and Lu Wuchen's expressions changed slightly, and their mood immediately became somewhat heavy.
"If that's the case, then we can only rely on our junior brothers and sisters to strive for higher rankings in the Southern Domain Tournament."
"That would put too much pressure on them."
Lu Wuchen slightly clenched his fingers, his eyes becoming deep and contemplative.
"If that's the case, they must rank ahead of all the elite disciples from the Top Tier Heavenly Sects in the Southern Domain Tournament to bring our sect back to its former glory…"
Wei Hongye's mind conjured up the four figures: the stubborn and hardworking Yue Xi, the lively and adorable Murong Qingwu, the incredibly talented Gu Yan, and the always lazy yet unfathomable Hao Tian.
Despite their different personalities, they shared a common trait: youth and vitality.
Asking them to compete with the top elites of the Top Tier Heavenly Sects was already difficult enough, let alone asking them to surpass them.
"If the Ancient Demons invade again, I will kill even more, even more…" Wei Hongye murmured to herself.
Apart from the Great Dream Nine Abyss war camp, other Immortal Sect war camps were also discussing Insect Two, and at the same time, they were also counting and calculating the Immortal Merit accumulated in this battle.
"Accumulating a million Immortal Merit in a single battle, it seems that we have strong reinforcements arriving."
"The Ancient Demons suffered a great defeat this time. They might not invade again for the next ten years."
"If that's the case, this Immortal Merit Board will be the final showdown. We have to send the news back to the sect first and have the participating disciples work hard. We can only place our hopes on them."
Various Immortal Sects were discussing and competing secretly.
In the Wildfire Camp district of Qinghe Mort City, at the Yinglong Imperial Guard camp.
Shi Tianjing and Huo Xiaoqi and others looked up at the golden Immortal Merit Board above their heads. When they saw the name on it clearly, their expressions changed.
Although they had some anticipation when Li Hao left earlier, they didn't expect Li Hao to have crossed to such an extent in one step.
On this Immortal Merit Board where billions of soldiers in Qinghe Mort City gathered, he could actually occupy a position in the top fifty!
It should be known that this included many Xian Lord Realm powerhouses.
There were at least several thousand of them!
It was extremely difficult to squeeze into the top hundred of the Immortal Merit Board. Besides combat strength, one also needed to actively participate in battles and actively slay demons, all of which required risking one's life.
"That guy…"
Huo Xiaoqi stared blankly, involuntarily clenching his palm. He originally thought he was already considered an elite of Illusion Sea Gate, hiding his identity here. He didn't expect to encounter such a remarkable person.
Thinking about fighting alongside such a guy in the Southern Domain Tournament, a surge of boiling enthusiasm suddenly welled up in his heart.
…
Water Moon Palace, inside a courtyard's secret realm.
Gu Xingwan turned her head and stared blankly at Li Hao, True Immortal Realm Level Three? Million Immortal Merit?
Gu Changming had long been aware of Li Hao's situation and wasn't surprised by this. He was just slightly emotional. After all, it had been many years since he had seen such a young and monstrously talented individual.
He said to Li Hao, "The 1.92 million Immortal Merit from the battlefield has been sent back to the Immortal Capital Royal City. After His Majesty approves, it will be calculated into your identity token. Adding your current Immortal Merit, you'll have over three million."
Li Hao nodded. That 1.92 million Immortal Merit was purely a pleasant surprise. On his way here, he had glanced at the total Immortal Merit of other Top Tier Immortal Sects, and it seemed some were less than three million, not even as much as his.
"..."
Gu Xingwan beside him was somewhat silent.
There was still 1.92 million Immortal Merit yet to be credited?
If that amount arrived, adding it all up, what rank would he climb to?
She silently looked at Li Hao. The Immortal Technique she had wanted to ask about earlier suddenly felt somewhat bland and uninteresting.
Whether it was his previous realm in the Azure Heaven Immortal Technique, or just the sparring match, or the exaggerated Immortal Merit now… it was hard to imagine that these would all be concentrated on a True Immortal Realm Level Three youth before her.
Moreover, the fact that he could participate in the Southern Domain Tournament meant his soul age was less than three thousand years.
"I've already ordered people to prepare a banquet. Let's go, let's have a drink."
Gu Changming said with a smile, inviting Li Hao towards the main hall.
"Then it must be fine wine," Li Hao laughed.
Gu Changming couldn't help laughing heartily. "Straightforward. No problem. The food might not be to your liking, but I guarantee the wine will satisfy you."
Gu Xingwan stood in place, watching the old and young walk away, her expression becoming complex. But suddenly, as if thinking of something, her cheeks slightly flushed, she lightly harrumphed and followed.
The moon was dim and the stars were sparse. Gu Changming didn't disappoint Li Hao. Although the food was good, it couldn't compare to Li Hao's cooking, but the Drunken Dragon's Roar wine he brought out made Li Hao's eyes light up.
Fine wine was also a kind of delicacy. Although Li Hao could also brew wine, he admitted he couldn't brew the taste of this Drunken Dragon's Roar.
After drinking heartily all night, Li Hao fell into a deep sleep. The previous fierce battles and the three months on the border made him unable to relax his mind even for a moment. Now, he finally had a good sleep.
Gu Changming was also a little drunk, but not completely passed out. Looking at the sleeping youth with drool at the corner of his mouth, he couldn't help but smile. He thought, "He really is a good kid, genuine and true to his nature."
Gu Xingwan sat beside him, seeing the sleeping youth, she couldn't help but say, "Grandpa, why did you let him drink so much?"
"What, worried about him?"
Gu Changming glanced at her, and seeing the blush immediately creeping onto the young lady's earlobes, he couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, this kid's physical body is very strong, and his immortal physique is top-notch. This Drunken Dragon's Roar can get even an Ancestral Dragon drunk with just a drop, but for this kid, he can handle it!"
Speaking of this, he looked at the several empty jars beside him, but a hint of heartache couldn't help but flash in his eyes. He collected the jars, then flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.
"Grandpa?"
Seeing Gu Changming just leave like that, Gu Xingwan was a little stunned.
In an instant, only she and the sleeping youth beside her remained in the pavilion.
Clouds and mist drifted, and the stars and moon were silent.
When the dazzling sunlight shone again, Li Hao groggily woke up, but didn't feel any dizziness. Instead, he felt refreshed all over.
He stretched, feeling as if a scorching, thick power was contained within his body. When he sat up, he found a soft blanket covering him, with embroidered piglets, white and tender, on the edge.
Li Hao chuckled silently. With his physique, how could he possibly catch a cold?
Lifting the blanket, Li Hao glanced around. Apart from the mess of wine bowls and dishes on the ground, the grandfather and granddaughter were nowhere to be seen.
He got up unhurriedly, tidied himself up, and then flew down from the pavilion. Spreading his divine sense, he saw a graceful figure practicing swordsmanship by the arched bridge in the courtyard.
"Where's your grandfather?"
Li Hao stepped forward and asked.
Gu Xingwan stopped her swordplay, turned her head, and looked Li Hao up and down. "Are you leaving?"
"Yes."
"This courtyard is the Water Moon Secret Realm. Cultivating here is beneficial for understanding the water element origin," Gu Xingwan immediately said.
Li Hao had already noticed this, and said, "I know."
"If you want to stay, I can talk to Grandpa and let you stay here to cultivate."
"That won't be necessary."
Li Hao hurriedly waved his hand.
"You…"
Seeing Li Hao's eager appearance to leave, a hint of anger couldn't help but appear on Gu Xingwan's beautiful and quiet face.
"Your grandfather must be busy with affairs. Since he's not here, I'll take my leave first. Please say hello to him for me when you see him," Li Hao waved his hand and said.
After speaking, without waiting for her to agree, he directly teleported away.
"You…"
Gu Xingwan wanted to chase after him, but found that she could no longer capture Li Hao's aura and trajectory. She was secretly startled, and also somewhat annoyed.
Cultivating in this Water Moon Secret Realm was something many people dreamed of. Unless they were particularly favored, even her grandfather's disciples weren't qualified to cultivate here.
"An ungrateful fellow!"
She slightly gritted her teeth and stomped her foot. Then, she suddenly thought that the other party would participate in the Southern Domain Tournament, and a light immediately appeared in her eyes. She snorted and headed towards the main hall.
She went directly to the dark hall, and the immortal power in her body slowly changed, beginning her true cultivation.
…
…
Li Hao returned to the Yinglong Imperial Guard camp. Shi Tianjing and the others stood up one after another when they saw Li Hao, greeting him warmly.
Li Hao exchanged greetings with Huo Xiaoqi and then returned to his own courtyard.
Afterwards, he unfolded his Dao Domain and extended space within it. In the palm-sized area, the internal space became a hundred miles wide. This small courtyard was comparable in size to a secret realm.
He took out the Ancient Demon corpses and began cooking them inside.
When the meat was cooked, Li Hao also began to nourish himself.
Time flew by.
Li Hao secluded himself in the courtyard. Shi Tianjing and others didn't dare to disturb him presumptuously. After all, Li Hao was different now. With a million Immortal Merit points, as long as his identity was clear, he could join the Chu Immortal Army.
Eating Ancient Demon flesh every day, Li Hao's primordial spirit was rapidly improving. In half a year, the God Bone of his primordial spirit increased from 72 to 160, and hadn't touched its limit yet, still growing steadily.
However, Li Hao's primordial spirit strength had undergone a huge change compared to before. In primordial spirit duels alone, Li Hao felt that he could already directly confront lower-level Xian Lord Realm cultivators!
As time passed, Li Hao no longer paid much attention to the increase in primordial spirit God Bone. Instead, he focused his mind on Ancient Demon cooking.
Including the previous three months and the current half-year, eating Ancient Demon flesh every day, even though the taste was excellent, Li Hao was getting a little tired of it. He was increasingly pursuing even more extreme enjoyment, and at the same time, he was also pondering the deeper realms of cooking.
However, there was no progress yet for the time being.
Li Hao wasn't in a hurry. He slowly pondered while cooking every day, and no one disturbed him, allowing him to focus all his attention on cooking.
In between, the 1.92 million Immortal Merit had been approved and added to his identity token. Adding it to his own 1.37 million Immortal Merit, he had a full 3.29 million Immortal Merit!
And his name had also risen to 19th on the Immortal Merit Board!
The names in these positions were all veterans who had fought in Qinghe Mort City for countless years, with illustrious battle merits, and could be promoted to other positions and be conferred official titles and ranks at any time.
The rise in ranking once again caused a sensation in the entire Qinghe Mort City. Countless people discussed it, and some rumors related to Immortal Merit spread, letting many know that the final victory of that battle was actually related to this Insect Two.
But Li Hao himself didn't pay attention to these at all, and instead focused wholeheartedly on cooking.
By the time he had been here for a year, the God Bone of his primordial spirit had broken through to 200!
His primordial spirit power had once again surged, becoming even more brilliant.
And outside, at the Qinghe Mort River teleportation point, three figures were teleported over, seemingly having come together.
"This is the border?"
"Such a big city, the sky is dark. It seems even the starlight is swallowed up here."
"Let's go find Senior Brother and the others first. I heard Hao Tian came here. I wonder how he's performing. We can't fall behind him."
The three figures on the teleportation platform were none other than Murong Qingwu, Yue Xi, and Gu Yan.
(End of chapter)