Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 473

Volume 3 - Chapter 144: Defeating Chiguang with a Single Sword – Part 3

The Holy Son Haoyue was momentarily stunned. His pupils contracted, and his eyes reflected sheer shock.

His sword intent had actually been used by his opponent, and it was no longer just sword intent but had ascended to sword dao!

The vast and overwhelming sun and moon manifested by this sword dao were far more terrifying and exquisite than his own.

The sword dao he had painstakingly cultivated for years had not only been comprehended by his opponent but even surpassed!

The expression on Holy Son Haoyue’s face shifted rapidly, fluctuating between shock, fury, and pale disbelief. The once-steadfast dao heart he had nurtured began to crack inch by inch, giving him a feeling of crumbling cognition.

Within the sword qi resided the majesty of heaven and earth, the sun and moon interweaving countless light and shadows. It reflected the heavens and subdued all creation.

The surrounding array trembled as Chiguang’s body fell, riddled with cracks from head to toe. This single strike had grievously injured him.

Struggling to his feet, Chiguang suppressed the chaotic flow of blood within his body, refraining from using his true power.

Around him, a flaming domain manifested. The forty layers of dao domain stacked upon one another barely managed to neutralize Li Hao’s sword strike.

Even so, his body was scorched and riddled with fissures under the radiance of the sun and moon.

Outside the battle platform, the onlookers were stunned. No one had expected that, in facing the formidable Chiguang, Li Hao would unleash a sword strike of such unprecedented power.

Earlier, Li Hao had also utilized his sun and moon sword dao, but it was apparent he hadn’t gone all out, securing easy victories without breaking a sweat.

Now, they were truly witnessing the terror of this sword dao.

The oppressive force of the descending sun and moon seemed poised to flatten the entirety of Jidao Mountain.

“So this is the sword of Qingfeng? What a terrifying sword dao!”

Countless discussions erupted among the crowd, their voices filled with astonishment. None of them had anticipated that Li Hao had hidden such fearsome techniques.

Among the spectators, many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land were left utterly spellbound.

If he were to wield his personal sword dao, it would likely be even more devastating.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Holy Son Haoyue. When Li Hao had defeated him earlier, the sword dao he used bore an uncanny resemblance to Lin Qingying’s techniques—it was her sword!

This realization made his expression grow even darker.

And now, Li Hao had displayed his own sword dao on this stage.

If Li Hao were to reach the Saint Realm and wield this sword dao with sufficient power, its full might would truly reflect the heavens, with all things becoming swords.

Chiguang’s body swayed, his wounds refusing to heal as the sword intent of the sun and moon continued tearing into his flesh.

Fixing his gaze on Li Hao, Chiguang’s eyes gleamed with excitement and amusement.

Li Hao stood quietly, sword in hand, observing his opponent. He could sense that Chiguang had yet to reveal his full capabilities.

“So, this is your strongest sword dao? I’m impressed—it’s truly powerful!”

Chiguang’s voice reached Li Hao directly through sound transmission.

Li Hao glanced at him and saw that, despite his battered appearance, Chiguang’s eyes held a faint smile.

“Unfortunately, I’m saving my trump card for the Buddhist Sect’s Twin Prodigies. I can’t use it prematurely. I intend to compete for the top spot in Canglan Realm, so I’ll leave this first-ranked loose cultivator title to you for now. We’ll fight again next time, and I’ll take it back then!”

Chiguang’s words carried satisfaction. Li Hao’s sword had ignited his bloodlust, intensifying his anticipation for the upcoming battle of supreme geniuses. Encountering such a rival among loose cultivators alone made him wonder what explosive clashes awaited him against the geniuses of the heavens.

“If you weren’t holding back, your sword dao might have posed a real threat to me,” Chiguang said through sound transmission, his tone tinged with regret.

Li Hao chuckled and withdrew his black sword. “Then we’ll fight again next time.”

“Next time, you’d better give it your all.”

Chiguang smiled faintly, now fully aware of Li Hao’s strength after witnessing his most powerful sword technique.

He turned and declared his surrender to the referee without further combat.

When the crowd heard that Chiguang had conceded, they were astonished but also relieved.

Moments earlier, the might of Li Hao’s sword strike had been so overwhelming that even outside the protective array, many had felt as if they were being subdued by its power, unable to move.

“Chiguang’s fire-type divine ability was actually countered by Qingfeng!”

“To counter such an ability, what kind of technique is this?”

“It seems Qingfeng is far more terrifying than we imagined. Representing the Canglan Realm in the upcoming battle should be no problem, right?”

“I thought Chiguang would win, but Qingfeng has proven to be even more unfathomable. His sword dao is simply too terrifying.”

Discussions erupted below the platform.

Holy Son Haoyue, listening to these remarks, turned pale with a mixture of sneering contempt and frustrated anger. He mocked the ignorance of these people, as they had no idea that Li Hao had not yet shown all his techniques. What angered him more was the realization that Li Hao’s demonstration of his sun and moon sword dao would make any of his future efforts appear laughable.

Suppressing his fury, he turned and left with a livid expression. A sense of madness brewed in his heart as he resolved to perfect his own sword intent before the next confrontation.

However, the path of cultivation cannot be rushed, and haste often leads to calamity. Most of all, he felt stifled.

“Chiguang actually lost.”

On a distant cloud carriage, a noblewoman was taken aback. As someone who served as the Twelve Cities’ Incense Envoy and was to wed a princess, Chiguang’s defeat to Qingfeng came as a shock.

Their prior assessment of Qingfeng’s strength had clearly underestimated him.

Canghai Emperor’s eyes shimmered. As a Semi-Saint, his perception was more acute, discerning that Chiguang had withheld his trump cards, likely saving them for the battles ahead. After all, compared to the loose cultivator competition, securing a place in the Canglan Realm’s representative team held far greater significance.

“Chiguang must regard the Buddhist Sect’s Twin Prodigies as his true opponents. And indeed, those two are formidable. At the Six Extremes Realm, possessing both the Heart of Buddha and the Demonic Aspect, they rank among the top across the heavens…”

The emperor’s gaze deepened. Regardless, with the conclusion of this battle, he intended to bestow even more incense power upon Qingfeng as a token of recognition.

“This isn’t his true sword dao!”

Lin Qingying’s eyes glimmered with excitement. The sun and moon divine sword that Li Hao had displayed was already this fearsome—his personal sword dao would undoubtedly be even stronger.

Bian Ruxue’s expression grew grave. No wonder he had the leisure to indulge in painting. His strength was terrifying, vastly surpassing her own.

“How does he know the sword dao of Holy Son Haoyue? Could it be that he practices a sword dao similar to that of the Sword Saint, one that allows his personal sword dao to encompass and utilize other sword daos?”

“His sword truly is frightening…”

Li Qingyi and the others observed with solemn faces. Li Hao’s strength was indisputably terrifying.

“It seems no one besides Brother Shuhai could be his match,” remarked a fan-wielding youth with a heavy tone.

Li Qingyi nodded faintly and took a deep breath. In hindsight, her earlier defeat seemed far less unjust.

With Chiguang’s concession, the battle for the top ten had concluded.

Semi-Saints from the ten divine dynasties stepped forward, bestowing awards upon the ten finalists and officially bringing the grand event to a close.

The next confrontation, to be held in three months, would involve a struggle against the three great sacred lands. By then, the battle would be reflected through the realm stones, visible across the entire Canglan Realm.

Su Yun glanced at Li Hao, knowing he had shown mercy during their previous duel. The gap between them was simply too vast.

Her gaze wavered. With only three months remaining, she resolved to enter seclusion and train diligently.

“Three months from now will be the battle for the Canglan Realm. We must also prepare for secluded cultivation,” someone said.

“I never imagined such monstrous talents would emerge among loose cultivators—and there are two of them! Chiguang isn’t bad, either.”

...

Many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land wore solemn expressions. Without lingering, they swiftly returned to their holy land for secluded cultivation.

Among the crowd, several bald figures in kasayas murmured a Buddhist chant with indifferent expressions before turning and departing.

...

Li Qingyi, the fan-wielding youth, and others also felt immense pressure. Aside from Li Hao and Chiguang, there were still other formidable opponents among the competitors, making rigorous preparation essential.

Though three months of cultivation might not bring significant progress, the insights gained from witnessing so many battles and their clash with the sacred lands could lead to substantial improvements in the short term if fully absorbed.

“I should also return to seclusion,” Lin Qingying said softly. She cast a lingering glance at Li Hao but did not approach to speak. Instead, she turned and left gracefully.

The next time she emerged, if her sword dao entered the realm of enlightenment, she might have a chance to compete. Otherwise, she would merely serve as a bystander.

As the battle concluded, many figures began dispersing from the crowd.

Chiguang, his body still recovering from his injuries, cast one last glance at Li Hao. As his wounds slowly healed, he sent a sound transmission:

“There’s still three months. Do your best. Though your sword dao is strong, it’s still lacking somewhat.”

Li Hao was at a loss for words. This man was certainly talkative. He suddenly thought that he should have used his Sole-Self Sword Dao earlier to cleave him in two—perhaps that would have silenced him.

After finishing his sound transmission, Chiguang left the battle platform.

Although he had not fought with his full strength, Chiguang still felt somewhat dissatisfied. He had never expected his fire-type divine ability to be suppressed by Li Hao’s sword dao. Had he been able to secure an easy victory with just his fire-type divine ability, it would have truly been perfect.

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