Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 465

Volume 3 - Chapter 140: A Contest in the Imperial Hall

Li Hao’s proposal was accepted by the Canghai Divine Dynasty.

Shortly afterward, a prince from the divine dynasty arrived to invite Li Hao to the imperial hall of the Canghai Divine Dynasty. There, he was required to leave a blood imprint on the Imperial Dragon Seal of the dynasty, as this was a necessary step to officially become one of its incense-offering consecrators.

Whenever the dynasty faced a crisis, activating the Imperial Dragon Seal would summon all consecrators within its realm. Should any consecrator refuse to answer the call, they would face backlash from the seal, resulting in damage to their cultivation.

If a consecrator was unable to attend in person when summoned, they could project an avatar through the seal to participate in the battle, thereby fulfilling their obligations.

In simple terms, this seal acted as a form of binding contract.

Li Hao understood the principle of exchange: to gain something, one must give something in return. Just as people handle others’ troubles in exchange for payment, incense offerings worked similarly.

For those in the Saint Realm, incense offerings were not merely a source of power but also akin to the currency used by mortals. This was why it was extremely challenging to seize incense offerings from saints.

It was no different from robbing wealth from the hands of the extremely rich—a life-and-death gamble.

The Ji Dao Mountain, located not far from the capital of the Canghai Divine Dynasty, was where Li Hao and three others traveled together. Among his companions were two men and one woman.

One of the men was tall and straight, clad in a crimson divine robe with radiant patterns that shimmered across his attire. He carried a spear that appeared forged from molten lava, his gaze imperious. By his side, the crown prince Guihai Feng of the Canghai Divine Dynasty accompanied him.

The other man and woman also appeared youthful. The woman had silver eyes that reminded Li Hao of the Haoyue Holy Son’s unique gaze.

Clearly, those invited by the divine dynasty were all extraordinary figures.

The capital of the Canghai Divine Dynasty was magnificently grand, spanning thousands of miles. Its imperial hall stood imposing, with towering dragon pillars engraved with the Canghai totem spiraling upward.

Under the guidance of Crown Prince Guihai Feng, the group entered the imperial hall, where they met the emperor of the divine dynasty.

The Canghai Emperor was seated on the Dragon Throne, exuding natural majesty. He appeared to be in his sixties, with a long, narrow face and a few strands of white at his temples.

Rumored to be a figure in the Semi-Saint Realm, he had half a foot beyond the constraints of the Dao but had yet to fully condense his saintly path. His longevity was extraordinary, with a vast harem of consorts and numerous offspring—numbering in the hundreds—many of whom inherited his bloodline and possessed monstrous talent as powerful Dao Law cultivators.

The imperial court exuded grandeur, with civil and military officials arrayed in rows, their gazes fixed upon the four new consecrators of the Canghai Divine Dynasty.

These officials intended to remember their appearances and warn the younger generation of their families to avoid provoking these individuals in the future.

Those who had served the dynasty for a long time understood the importance of teaching their descendants to recognize such figures, as ignorance could easily bring disaster upon their families.

“Four peerless talents, true dragons and phoenixes among humanity, are now consecrators of my Canghai Divine Dynasty. As long as the Canghai endures, you shall be enshrined for generations, your names sung through the ages!”

The Canghai Emperor smiled as he addressed Li Hao and the other three.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the emperor produced the Imperial Dragon Seal and asked the four to offer their blood.

Once the blood offerings were complete, the emperor conferred noble titles upon them within the grand hall. They were awarded consecrator waist tokens, granting them ranks just below the emperor. These tokens came with divine privileges within the Canghai Divine Dynasty, including the authority to command up to 100,000 troops. They also received stipends, though monetary rewards were mere embellishments compared to their true value.

The emperor then led the four into the inner hall, where only he and the crown prince were present, to discuss matters of incense offerings.

“I have agreed to all your previous requests,” the emperor said with a smile. “Today, a master craftsman will arrive to measure your golden bodies. Starting tomorrow, temples will be constructed across the divine dynasty to enshrine your statues. I will have the commander spread the tales of your heroics throughout the cities.”

“Achieving greater feats and earning more legendary deeds will attract more incense offerings. These may even extend beyond your cities and spread to other regions,” he explained.

In the world of incense offerings, apart from the deliberate guidance of constructing temples, enshrining statues, and propagating names, if one’s reputation and achievements were highly illustrious, incense offerings would naturally flow in.

Thus, acquiring incense offerings was no easy task. Mortals would instinctively worship the strongest saints. To shift their faith to oneself often required various methods and strategies.

Li Hao, already renowned in the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, found that once the Jiang Family’s incense was collected and the reversal of arrays in the Five Divine General Mansions ceased, the remaining scattered incense offerings would naturally flow toward him without much effort.

Seeing the preparations made by this emperor, Li Hao nodded in agreement, expressing no objections.

“Your Majesty, when will the marriage with Princess Yunji take place?”

The crimson-robed youth, who wielded a molten lava spear, asked calmly.

“The wedding date can be determined by you,” the Canghai Emperor replied with a smile.

“Then, let it take place immediately after I secure first place in this battle. There won’t be much time later, as we’ll be clashing with the three major sacred lands,” the crimson-robed youth declared.

His words caused the other man and woman to frown slightly. His tone of confidence, as though victory was a foregone conclusion, made them feel uneasy.

“First place won’t be so easy to claim,” the youth in the purple robes said coolly, his sharp eyes narrowing. Like the crimson-robed youth, he too sought to achieve first place in this contest. Without securing the top spot among the unaffiliated cultivators, how could he challenge the favored sons of the three major sacred lands and vie for a spot in the Canglan Realm’s delegation?

“Oh?”

The crimson-robed youth glanced at him, his eyes growing cold and a faint murderous intent rising around him.

“You have objections?”

The purple-robed youth squinted his eyes, replying, “Not objections, per se. I’m merely worried that someone’s grandiose words might lead to embarrassment.”

As he spoke, the purple-robed youth turned toward the Canghai Emperor, bowing slightly.

“Your Majesty, if marrying Princess Yunji is a condition for becoming a consecrator, then as someone without romantic interests, might I instead request an additional two cities' worth of incense offerings?”

The Canghai Emperor hesitated. Based on the youth’s abilities, granting him incense offerings from five cities had already seemed fair. Offering more would be uneconomical unless the youth possessed hidden strength he had yet to reveal.

As the emperor deliberated, the crimson-robed youth chuckled lightly. Suddenly, a blazing crimson flame surged from his body, as though it would ignite the entire imperial hall.

“Your Majesty has granted me twelve cities’ worth of incense offerings and Princess Yunji’s hand in marriage because I am worthy. I deserve it!”

Turning directly to face the purple-robed youth, his golden eyes burned with fiery disdain.

“And who are you to use me as leverage in your bargaining? Are you even qualified?”

The purple-robed youth’s face darkened. Such insulting words were hard to endure, and his expression grew even more grim, a flicker of shock flashing in his eyes.

“Twelve cities’ worth of incense offerings?”

He had assumed everyone had been granted the same five cities he had.

“Your Majesty, is it true he was granted twelve cities?”

Beside them, the woman in silken robes, the Yunshang Woman, revealed a hint of surprise. Her brow furrowed as she asked the Canghai Emperor.

Knowing such matters couldn’t be concealed—incense offerings were tangible and could be easily investigated—the emperor nodded slightly.

“Indeed. Chiguang, our consecrator, has achieved the Five Extremes Realm and excels in fire-type divine abilities. Thus, he was granted incense offerings from twelve cities.”

“Five Extremes Realm?”

Hearing this, both the purple-robed youth and the Yunshang Woman focused their gazes, their expressions growing more serious. Those who mastered the Five Extremes Realm were at least at the level of sacred land holy sons.

“Is that all it takes for twelve cities? Then I must have undervalued myself,” the purple-robed youth muttered, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction and a trace of frustration.

He had only been offered incense offerings from five cities—not even half of Chiguang’s allotment.

“You’re barely worth five cities. Honestly, they’d be better off given to me,” Chiguang retorted coldly, his eyes filled with contempt as he dismissed the purple-robed youth.

An overwhelming aura erupted from the purple-robed youth, golden light flashing as his hair turned a radiant shade of gold. Divine power surged, and a cold, murderous intent filled the hall.

“In that case, let’s see! If I defeat you, your twelve cities’ worth of incense offerings will belong to me. And as for Princess Yunji, you can marry a stray dog instead!”

Li Hao was somewhat surprised by the revelation of differing incense offerings. He had assumed everyone was granted ten cities, only to discover significant variations in the allocations.

In hindsight, it made sense. Not everyone would be of the same caliber.

Still, Li Hao felt slightly shortchanged, having secured only ten cities. Clearly, his bargaining skills were lacking.

As the two youths appeared ready to clash, Li Hao glanced at the Canghai Emperor. Seeing no attempt to stop the confrontation, he understood. Preventing them from fighting would only turn their grievances toward the emperor. Letting martial artists settle matters with martial force was often the better solution.

Quietly, Li Hao stepped aside.

The Yunshang Woman noticed his movements, raising an eyebrow before silently stepping back as well.

“Five cities or twelve, I’m curious to see whether these two are worth their offerings,” she murmured to herself.

“You’re courting death!”

With a burst of fury, Chiguang’s eyes ignited with divine flames. His figure blurred, vanishing in an instant as he performed the Void Teleportation technique.

The purple-robed youth mirrored the move, also vanishing in an instant. The two reappeared mid-air, colliding in a thunderous clash that sent tremors through the void. Flames erupted, spreading like a wildfire across the imperial hall.

The Canghai Emperor raised his hand slightly, and an array activated around the hall, containing the flames entirely and preventing even a trace of heat from escaping.

“Purple Extreme Heaven Palm!”

The purple-robed youth roared, his entire body shrouded in surging purple energy. A massive, ancient figure loomed behind him, its contours indistinct but exuding a commanding aura capable of lifting the heavens.

With a sweeping motion, both the youth and the phantom figure struck simultaneously, their palms descending to suppress Chiguang.

Chiguang merely glanced up, a mocking smile on his face. His flames intensified, shifting from crimson to golden hues, radiating a divine heat that seemed capable of incinerating everything.

Even the purple-robed youth’s protective robes and treasured artifacts began to catch fire, his hair singed and burned.

Golden patterns surfaced on Chiguang’s forehead as he calmly intoned, “Flame Supreme Power: Supreme Heart Flame!”

The surrounding space surged with law-defying fire energy as Chiguang’s divine flames erupted skyward. At the same time, the purple-robed youth found himself enveloped in flames, his entire body consumed by a heart-scorching blaze. Agonized screams echoed as he struggled to extinguish the fire.

Li Hao and the Yunshang Woman watched with solemn expressions.

The Yunshang Woman’s gaze revealed a hint of shock. She had initially been unimpressed by the Canghai Emperor’s earlier statement that Chiguang excelled in fire-type divine abilities. But now, witnessing his power firsthand, she realized how terrifyingly refined and potent his mastery was.

This technique, Flame Supreme Power, was a pinnacle-level divine ability. The degree to which Chiguang had cultivated it made it nearly impossible to counter.

Li Hao observed the purple-robed youth’s plight. The fire Chiguang summoned was no ordinary flame—it came from within, igniting the very essence of the victim’s inner self. Such heart flames were extraordinarily difficult to resist.

Divine abilities were the hallmark killing techniques of those in the Dao Law Realm, and Chiguang’s ability had reached the threshold of merging with the Dao itself. It was no weaker than the techniques wielded by the Haoyue Holy Son.

The purple-robed youth desperately executed Void Teleportation in a bid to escape. Yet the flames clung to him, refusing to be extinguished. His wails of pain filled the hall as his body became a mass of blisters and burns.

At last, a towering phantom behind him reached out and grabbed hold of him. A surge of purple energy exploded, quelling the flames after much effort.

Throughout this ordeal, Chiguang did not press further. He merely observed, his gaze cold and indifferent.

When the fire finally subsided, the purple-robed youth was left charred and battered, his once-glorious battle attire reduced to ash. His body was riddled with cracks, his injuries severe.

Face filled with humiliation and rage, the purple-robed youth quickly retrieved a spare set of clothing from his spatial storage, hurriedly dressing to conceal his grievous wounds. Yet no amount of clothing could shield him from the sting of disgrace, especially in the presence of the Yunshang Woman.

“Were it not for our shared position as consecrators, I could crush you as easily as a chicken,” Chiguang remarked coldly, his words devoid of mercy.

The purple-robed youth’s expression darkened further, but he dared not retort. He knew that to respond would only deepen his humiliation.

The Canghai Emperor raised a hand, summoning a gentle green light that enveloped the purple-robed youth. The divine radiance rapidly accelerated his recovery, closing his wounds and easing his pain.

“Both of you will represent my Canghai Divine Dynasty in battle,” the emperor said with a faint smile. “Do not harm the harmony between consecrators. The incense offerings promised to each of you are merely preliminary allocations. They are not fixed. The better your performance in the Supreme Talent Battle, the more offerings you shall receive.”

The emperor’s smile grew wider. “Should you secure the honor of representing the Canglan Realm against the three great sacred lands, your fame will spread across the thirty-three realms. Not only will your incense offerings increase, but I will also reward you with ten more cities' worth of incense.”

Hearing these words, Chiguang’s eyes remained calm. “Defeating the holy sons of the three sacred lands to claim one of the ten spots? For some, this is an unattainable goal. For me, they should be the ones worrying.”

Normally, the purple-robed youth would have mocked such arrogance. But after their brief clash, he fell silent. In that moment, he had clearly felt the chasm between their abilities.

He had inherited a sliver of ancient imperial blood and risen as a young talent, standing out among his sect and family to compete in this gathering of talents from dozens of dynasties. Yet here, he was merely one of the outstanding participants—far from being the best.

The Yunshang Woman glanced at Chiguang without speaking further. Even she doubted her ability to withstand his fire-based divine abilities.

Li Hao’s eyes flickered as he looked at the Canghai Emperor but refrained from commenting. He understood that as his strength became evident in the coming battles, the emperor would likely adjust his offerings without him needing to negotiate.

In the world of martial artists, strength was the ultimate currency. This was especially true in the Land of Saints, where power spoke louder than anything else.

“And him? Is he also allocated five cities?”

The purple-robed youth suddenly turned his gaze toward Li Hao, a faint suspicion gnawing at him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had been given the least.

“He has ten cities’ worth of incense offerings,” the Canghai Emperor replied with a smile. “Qingfeng Consecrator has mastered the Dao through his swordsmanship, though his supreme mastery has yet to fully manifest. Should his performance in the future excel, I will consider granting him additional offerings.”

“Ten cities?”

The purple-robed youth’s face contorted. That was double his own allocation.

The Yunshang Woman’s silver eyes narrowed slightly as she glanced at Li Hao. Swordsmanship at the level of Dao mastery? Such techniques belonged to the realm of Semi-Saints.

Even if his ultimate strength was lacking, simply mastering such swordsmanship was enough to command respect and caution.

Chiguang’s eyebrows twitched as he also glanced at Li Hao. A Dao-level technique? Even Chiguang himself had not achieved such a feat. His fire-based divine abilities only faintly touched upon the essence of the Dao, falling short of true mastery.

Given that the Supreme Talent Battle was limited to those under a hundred years old, achieving such mastery within that time frame was an extraordinary display of monstrous talent.

With Chiguang’s earlier performance fresh in everyone’s mind, the purple-robed youth refrained from questioning Li Hao. Swordsmanship at this level was something even he could only concede to.

With no further objections, the group soon welcomed the arrival of master craftsmen who had come to measure their physiques and paint their likenesses.

As the royal painters began their work, Li Hao grew intrigued and borrowed a brush and ink from one of the assistants to sketch alongside them.

While he sketched the others, his primary focus was on the Canghai Emperor, eager to glean insights from portraying a figure in the Semi-Saint Realm.

As one painting after another took form, Li Hao noticed that the Yunshang Woman provided significantly more artistic inspiration than the purple-robed youth. This likely indicated she had received more cities' worth of incense offerings than the latter.

The Yunshang Woman contributed nearly 20,000 points of artistic experience.

The purple-robed youth, in contrast, offered only around 15,000 points.

Chiguang, however, generated an astounding 35,000 points of artistic inspiration—nearly double that of the Yunshang Woman, further evidence of his hidden potential.

As Li Hao’s painting skills advanced, he began to notice that his progress seemed constrained. Depicting figures in the Fourth Pillar Realm, which once granted over 10,000 points of experience, now yielded barely 1,000 points...

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