Great Dream Nine Abysses Sect, Main Peak.
When Li Hao and the others returned, the place was already bustling, packed with people.
Elders and inner disciples from each abyss had gathered on the main peak, eagerly awaiting the return of the competing disciples from their respective abysses.
"They're back!"
"Look quickly, that seems to be that prodigy from the Sword Abyss."
"That's right, it's him, Sword Abyss Hao Tian. Seven years ago in the Ancient Immortal Realm, he ranked among the top ten, even defeating an Immortal Monarch Realm imperial clansman!"
"I didn't expect there to be someone even more formidable than our Spear Abyss's Senior Brother Ye Chen. Has the Sword Abyss finally bloomed like an iron tree?"
Elders and disciples from each abyss discussed among themselves, their expressions excited as they saw the figures of Li Hao and others returning, bathed in the immortal light of the teleportation array.
Although it had been seven years since they last saw Li Hao, the young man had left too deep an impression on them. It was simply incredible that he had fought his way into the top ten among all the talents in the entire Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty.
Moreover, at that time, Li Hao defeated Chu Tianzheng while in the True Immortal Realm, creating an underdog legend and becoming widely renowned throughout the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty.
"It's really lively."
Murong Qingwu, Gu Yan, and the others looked around the entire area and felt the crowd's enthusiasm.
Li Hao glanced around, spotted Li Tiemu in the crowd, and immediately flew over.
"How was it? Cultivating in the Origin Mystic Realm for these seven years must have been very fruitful!"
Li Tiemu saw Li Hao descend and couldn't stop smiling.
"Yes."
Li Hao nodded. This time in the Origin Mystic Realm, his Immortal Seal was promoted to the Nine Order Immortal Seal, which was indeed a significant gain. Furthermore, he had comprehended all five Daos to the Fourth Layer. Accidentally glimpsing the Emperor's Path from a hundred thousand years ago was also a terrifying improvement to his combat power.
How strong Li Hao was now, even he wasn't sure. But if he were to fight the previous Chu Tianzheng again, he felt he could decide the outcome with a casual sword strike.
"Thanks to you, our Great Dream Nine Abysses Sect is now a Heavenly Second Sect in the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty!"
Li Tiemu said to Li Hao with a smile, "Although the Southern Domain Grand Competition hasn't started yet, your rank and astonishing performance in the Ancient Immortal Realm have caused the royal family to promote our sect's status in advance. Once the Southern Domain Grand Competition ends, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will definitely be conferred the title of Heavenly First Sect and return to our former glory!"
As he spoke, he couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes.
"Promoted exceptionally already?"
Li Hao was a little surprised, but he didn't feel too much about it deep down. For him, even if the Great Dream Nine Abysses became a Heavenly First Sect, it wouldn't cause much ripple in his mood.
But he knew that in this ancient sect, there were many old-timers like Old Man Li who had been striving for this matter.
"This is all thanks to your efforts. When you have time later, take a trip back to the Sword Abyss. The Abyss Lord said he will reward you well when you return."
Li Tiemu said to Li Hao with a smile, his eyes full of pride.
"As a Sword Abyss disciple, this is just doing my part," Li Hao said.
Li Tiemu chuckled, "Don't be modest, lad. It's not just you, they all have rewards too. First, let's see what the Great Dream Lord will give you. Speaking of which, why are you still only at the True Immortal Realm, Ninth Level? The Southern Domain Grand Competition is about to start, you should be able to reach the Tenth Level, Perfected, right? If you don't have enough immortal stones, I'll give you some."
"I'm not short on immortal stones, I just haven't had time to cultivate. I can improve my realm in these few months."
Li Hao said.
Li Tiemu said, "The gap between the Ninth Level and the Tenth Level is still very large, almost a doubled increase, surpassing the span of the previous three or four True Immortal Realm levels combined. Once you reach the Tenth Level, in the True Immortal Realm group of this Southern Domain Grand Competition, I feel there won't be more than three people who can surpass you."
"That many?"
Li Hao was a little surprised.
Li Tiemu was taken aback, then slightly speechless, and retorted, "You call this many? This competition gathers prodigies from the major Sacred Lands and numerous Forbidden Lands across the entire Southern Domain. The seven great Ancient Immortal Dynasties are vast and boundless. You are already the number one person in the True Immortal Realm of Yan Chu, but whether there are others in the other six great Immortal Dynasties who can compare with you is still unknown."
"Furthermore, in the Heavenly Palace, there will always be some monsters and oddities emerging, incredibly powerful. If the Supreme Being of the Heavenly Palace lets their personal disciples compete, then it's hard to say."
"Personal disciple of a Supreme?"
Li Hao's eyes flickered. He knew that the Supreme Being of the Heavenly Palace was an Immortal Emperor, and the value of an Immortal Emperor's personal disciple was profound; he had felt it when he accepted the inheritance.
"Yes."
Li Tiemu nodded, "A thousand years ago, the Supreme took in a personal disciple who was a newborn infant at the time. I heard they were brought from the Original True Realm. Their bloodline is extremely mysterious, and they were born with a Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol, with an ancient Human Emperor phantom behind them..."
He sighed softly, "Such a prodigy is unheard of. If they truly grow up, they will absolutely be invincible, looking down upon all peers in the same realm."
Li Hao was a little stunned. Born with a Dharma Idol?
This is truly monstrous, defying the heavens a bit.
"Don't overthink it either, don't put too much pressure on yourself. With a Supreme's guidance, that Supreme's youngest personal disciple might already be in the Immortal Monarch Realm by now, unless they deliberately suppressed their cultivation to comprehend the Nine Order Immortal Seal. Only then might they still be in the True Immortal Realm."
Li Tiemu comforted Li Hao.
Li Hao's thoughts stirred, and he suddenly felt there was always someone better.
At this time, the talents from the other abysses also returned to their own great abysses.
On the Sword Abyss side, besides Li Hao, Lin Mingrong, the disciple of another old woman, also performed quite well.
But when it comes to true strength ranking, Li Hao's first place is beyond doubt, and Gu Yan can be counted among those who could rank second.
Although Li Hao and Gu Yan joined the latest, their combat strength was ironically the strongest in the Sword Abyss.
"Ye Chen, how was it? Did you pass the Chaos Mystic Realm trial and go to the Origin Mystic Realm?"
In the Spear Abyss, an elder eagerly asked Su Ye Chen, who was beside him.
In the Great Dream Nine Abysses, besides that Sword Abyss prodigy, Su Ye Chen had the highest Immortal Tablet ranking, and now he was already in the Immortal Monarch Realm, the only Immortal Monarch Realm participant in the Great Dream Nine Abysses.
"Master, there's no need to worry. The Chaos Mystic Realm trial wasn't difficult for me. I cultivated in the Origin Mystic Realm for five years and gained a lot. Unfortunately, I didn't capture the Space-Time Dao Origin, so I couldn't go to the Space-Time Origin City. I could only settle for the next best thing and cultivate in the Shape Control City, but I still gained a lot."
Su Ye Chen smiled to comfort his nervous Master beside him, but as he spoke, his gaze couldn't help but glance towards the distance.
He had originally thought that by breaking through his bottleneck and becoming the sect's only Immortal Monarch Realm participant, he would be the center of attention. But he hadn't expected that because of that young man, his brilliance would be completely overshadowed.
"Five years, that's good."
The Spear Abyss Elder immediately sighed in relief and said, "This time, besides Hao Tian from the Sword Abyss, you are the most promising one. Make sure to seize these remaining three months well. If you lack anything, just tell your Master. Don't get distracted and delay your cultivation."
"Okay."
Su Ye Chen nodded.
At this moment, as the cheers from outside grew increasingly enthusiastic, the figure of the Great Dream Lord appeared. It was an external incarnation, standing as huge as a Dharma Idol.
The Great Dream Lord's gaze swept across the entire scene, her eyes indifferent, as if veiled in mist, yet revealing majesty. Only when her gaze met Li Hao's did a hint of tenderness appear in her eyes.
"There are only the last three months remaining. You have just returned from the mystic realm, so make sure to settle down and consolidate. The sect will give each of you thirty thousand immortal stones to ensure you can thoroughly absorb and master the Great Dao you have comprehended."
The Great Dream Lord spoke softly and delicately, her voice like ethereal smoke and dust. She said, "If you can rank within the top one thousand in the Southern Domain Grand Competition, the sect will reward you with a set of top-tier immortal weapons. If you can advance into the top one hundred in the Southern Domain Grand Competition, you may become my disciple and be accepted as my personal disciple!"
Hearing her words, the crowd outside exclaimed in an uproar, filled with envy and excitement.
Becoming the Great Dream Lord's personal disciple meant having the hope of becoming the Sect Master of the Great Dream Nine Abysses!
What a precious opportunity this was.
However, advancing to the top one hundred in the Southern Domain Grand Competition, where talents were as numerous as clouds, was also a daunting task.
"Lad, you must work hard."
Li Tiemu sent a telepathic message to Li Hao.
Li Hao was speechless. He wasn't particularly interested in becoming the Great Dream Lord's personal disciple, but being able to discuss paintings with her would indeed pique his interest.
At this point, after the Great Dream Lord finished speaking simply, her figure dissipated, and she also dismissed the crowd gathered on the mountain.
With only three months left, time was short. At this critical time when every second counted, the Great Dream Lord did not waste Li Hao and the others' precious time.
"Come to my hall."
As the Great Dream Lord's incarnation dissipated, her voice echoed in Li Hao's mind.
Li Hao was surprised in his heart. He looked around, confirmed that no one else had heard, and with a guess in his mind, he said to Old Man Li:
"The Great Dream Lord wants me to go see her."
"Go ahead. Just make sure you don't forget your manners."
Li Tiemu had clearly expected this already and said with a smile.
Li Hao immediately left the group of Sword Abyss disciples and proceeded along the route he took last time, familiar with the way.
Currently, Li Hao was extremely well-known in the Great Dream Nine Abysses. As his figure moved, countless gazes followed.
"What is Junior Brother going to do?"
Yue Xi asked curiously.
"Hao Tian previously ranked tenth on the Immortal Tablet, he is our sect's hope. The Great Dream Lord is probably planning to give him some guidance to prevent him from taking the wrong path. You shouldn't delay here either, hurry and go cultivate."
Li Tiemu spoke with a smile, not concealing anything.
Envy appeared in Yue Xi's and Murong Qingwu's eyes, but not jealousy. They also understood in their hearts that a prodigy like Li Hao, even without guidance, would far surpass them.
Moreover, Li Hao now carried the glory of the entire sect on his shoulders. Whether the Great Dream Nine Abysses could become famous through this Southern Domain Grand Competition depended entirely on Li Hao's performance.
"Let's go, we should also go cultivate."
Gu Yan's expression was calm. He said this to the two girls and walked towards the Great Dream Lord's courtyard. That was the Lang Ya Painting Realm, a sacred ground and the best cultivation location in the entire Great Dream Nine Abysses.
"Hmph."
On the other side, Spear Abyss's Su Ye Chen saw Li Hao heading towards the Main Hall where the Great Dream Lord was. He immediately knew it was a secret telepathic message from the Great Dream Lord. A hint of gloom flashed in his eyes. As the only Immortal Monarch Realm participant in this competition, the Great Dream Lord hadn't even given him special attention.
However, thinking of Li Hao's ranking on the Immortal Tablet, the hint of gloom in his eyes quickly vanished. He bid farewell to his Master beside him and quickly set off for the Lang Ya Painting Realm.
At this moment, deep within the Lang Ya Painting Realm, in the Main Hall.
"You must have a very strong inheritance behind you, right?"
As soon as Li Hao arrived at the Main Hall, the Great Dream Lord, dressed in a soft blue robe, asked softly.
She had her back to Li Hao, her face unclear.
Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't conceal anything. He nodded and said, "Yes."
"Defeating an Immortal Monarch Realm while in the True Immortal Realm is close to a myth. To say there isn't a strong inheritance, even the most monstrous bloodline couldn't achieve it."
The Great Dream Lord turned around, her side profile looking back at Li Hao, peerlessly beautiful. "In this Southern Domain Grand Competition, you have already become a thorn in many people's sides. Information about you has long since spread to other Immortal Dynasties."
Li Hao paused slightly, but his expression was as usual. He said, "He who wishes to wear the crown must bear its weight. Since I have gained fame, it is normal to be burdened by that fame."
The Great Dream Lord glanced at him with slight surprise, then smiled and nodded, saying:
"It's rare that you can see through this point. Although fame is good, if you cannot bear it, it is merely a burden."
"For these three months, don't go anywhere else. Stay well in my Lang Ya Painting Realm. You can ask me anytime if you want to cultivate. Wait until the Southern Domain Grand Competition begins, then come with me to the Heavenly Palace to participate."
"Okay."
Li Hao nodded and agreed readily. With only three months left, he hadn't planned on running around everywhere anyway.
Seeing Li Hao agree so readily, the Great Dream Lord was a little surprised. Previously, Li Hao's insistence on going to the border made her feel that the young man had a stubborn temperament and was difficult to persuade. This time, she had even prepared to lobby him well, as talents often had some arrogant tendencies. But she hadn't expected Li Hao to agree so easily.
"In these three months, I also plan to discuss the Dao of Painting thoroughly with Senior. I wonder if Senior would agree?"
Li Hao asked.
"The Dao of Painting?"
The Great Dream Lord paused slightly and couldn't help but frown. She said, "Although I am fond of the Dao of Painting and entered the Dao through painting, including this Lang Ya Mystic Realm which was constructed using the Dao of Painting, the Southern Domain Grand Competition is about to start. Are you sure you want to spend time on this?"
"Yes."
Li Hao smiled, "Senior can enter the Dao through painting, and this junior can too."
The Great Dream Lord raised her eyebrows slightly and said with interest, "Is that so? This path is not easy to walk. You can gain insights into cultivation through the Dao of Painting?"
"Yes."
Li Hao nodded.
The Great Dream Lord's lips curved into a smile, and she said, "Then I shall have to test you on this."
Li Hao said, "Before we discuss, could you help me send a message?"
"Send a message? To whom?"
The Great Dream Lord was puzzled.
"The Demon Suppression Division."
"The Demon Suppression Division? What are you sending them a message for?"
"I want them to send me something."
Li Hao smiled. He didn't have many ancient demon corpses left in his spatial dimension. Now he was a Spiritual Officer in the Demon Suppression Division, and his direct superior was Old Heavenly Master Gu Changming. He planned to ask Gu Changming for some ancient demon corpses, saving himself the trouble of risking hunts outside.
"Send you something?"
The Great Dream Lord was bewildered and couldn't help but ask.
Li Hao only said that he had a friend in the Demon Suppression Division. Hearing this, the Great Dream Lord didn't press further and agreed.
After the message was sent to Gu Changming, Li Hao resided in the secret hall within the Lang Ya Painting Realm.
He used time as the brushstroke, sketching with immortal power, and here he painted the Space Origin Divine Tree.
As the lush silver-gray divine leaves unfolded one by one, the outline of the Space Origin Divine Tree's canopy gradually appeared. Waves of distorted and sharp space power also rippled through the void.
"You... this..."
The Great Dream Lord was stunned when she saw Li Hao's painting. She had also been to the Origin Mystic Realm and recognized at a glance that this was precisely the Space Origin Divine Tree.
But at this moment, this divine tree had actually been painted by Li Hao?
Moreover, at first glance, it was somewhat difficult to distinguish between real and fake. The wandering aura of the Space Great Dao around it gave her the illusion that the Space Origin Divine Tree had descended upon the True Realm and was standing right before her eyes.
For a long time, a very long time.
As the brush fell, the Space Origin Divine Tree was also finished.
Li Hao's comprehension of the Dao of Painting improved once again, and his understanding of space also seemed to become more refined.
He was immersed in his thoughts. After a moment, he remembered that the Great Dream Lord was still before him.
"Your Space Origin realm is actually at the Fourth Layer, and your Water Dao is also at the Fourth Layer, your Earth Dao is also at the Fourth Layer..."
The Great Dream Lord's eyes were filled with shock, carrying a hint of complexity.
Just now, when Li Hao was painting, he naturally exuded the aura of Dao Origin. Only then did she perceive that this young man had actually cultivated three of the Nine Orders to the Fourth Layer realm. This was simply incredible!
One must know that Li Hao was still only in the True Immortal Realm at this moment. Such progress, even when compared among those in the Immortal Monarch Realm, would be considered exceptionally talented and intelligent, rarely seen in a thousand years.
"Senior, please give me some guidance and see where my shortcomings are?"
Li Hao said to the Great Dream Lord, his gaze sincere. Just from the Lang Ya Painting Realm itself, Li Hao could see that the Great Dream Lord's Dao of Painting surpassed his own. At this moment, he was truly humbly seeking knowledge.
The Great Dream Lord gazed intently at the Space Origin Divine Tree, her expression no longer casual. At this moment, she believed that besides herself, the young man before her was also someone who used the Dao of Painting to comprehend other Great Dao Origins, and his talent was terrifyingly strong!
(End of this chapter)