Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 464

Volume 3 - Chapter 139: Casual Victory, Canglan Patron

As his number was called, Li Hao stepped onto the battle platform, quietly waiting.

The surroundings were noisy, and many eyes turned his way. But having just faced the Holy Son of Haoyue under the scrutiny of a million disciples, Semi-Saints, and even Saints, he now felt a calm clarity. His mind drifted to a nearby battle platform, observing a match he hadn’t had time to finish watching earlier.

It was a fight involving whip techniques and concealed weapons—though not very powerful, it was certainly intriguing.

"You still have the leisure to watch others fight?"

A soft voice, tinged with surprise, suddenly echoed in his ear.

Li Hao’s thoughts returned to the present, and he turned to look. His opponent had already stepped onto the stage—a young woman of eighteen, with a gentle and beautiful appearance and an endearing, delicate charm in her expression.

"Please," Li Hao said at once.

Seeing his calm and composed expression, Li Qingyi couldn't help but raise her brows slightly, finding his lack of tension somewhat amusing.

"You don't seem to think there's any chance you'll lose."

Li Hao was a bit surprised and responded, "Since I’m here, I naturally think I’ll win. Why else would anyone participate?"

That made sense, but running into me... you're about to be out of luck, she thought with a small shake of her head. While she hadn't planned on using her full strength, this was the selection round for the Top Ten Thousand Rankings, so she certainly wouldn’t hold back.

"Apologies."

With that, Li Qingyi raised her hand. As a formation condensed, she uttered softly:

"Suppress!"

Her words shaped reality, and a single word brought forth oppressive force.

The power of laws enveloped Li Hao as Li Qingyi aimed to restrain him with her cultivation level.

Yet as the power of laws descended upon him, Li Hao remained utterly unaffected. With his now perfected Divine Blood Dao Body, his body was immune to the impact of laws, without even needing to activate his own Dao Domain.

"Hmm?"

Seeing her attack fail, Li Qingyi's eyes narrowed, instantly realizing that Li Hao’s strength wasn’t simple; he was at least at the level of the Dao Law Realm.

With such ability, it was unfortunate that he was outside the Top Ten Thousand.

Li Qingyi raised her hand, conjuring a fierce gust that swept towards Li Hao, the wind filled with blade-like law power.

Yet this level... she won’t make it to the Top Hundred, Li Hao thought. Although she was at the Dao Law Realm, she was indeed too weak. Without further talk, he casually captured a wisp of wind, transforming it into sword energy.

As the sword energy took shape, Li Qingyi suddenly sensed a premonition of danger, her skin prickling.

Her Wenxin trembled, allowing her to detect threats early. Yet now, was she truly sensing danger from this youth?

Li Qingyi’s expression changed as she realized she had indeed encountered a remarkable talent among loose cultivators.

Whoosh!

In a flash, her figure blurred, and she used Void Teleportation to evade.

When she reappeared, she held a sword in her hand, thrusting it towards Li Hao’s back.

Yet as her sword slashed forward, Li Hao's sword energy burst out, as if lying in wait just for her.

Li Qingyi’s pupils contracted, her sword trembling as if a force was attempting to wrench it away from her.

She unleashed the full extent of her strength, inadvertently tapping into her Extreme Divine Power Realm, yet still struggled to hold her sword. She was forced to activate her Dao Domain, manifesting twenty-four layers in an instant!

As her Dao Domain manifested layer upon layer, various phenomena emerged, and the flow of law finally suppressed the sword energy.

When the intent within the sword energy dissipated, it left only a wisp of wind that soon dispersed.

Yet Li Qingyi was left sweating, her heart trembling with shock. With just a casual wisp of wind, this person had almost forced her to reveal her true strength?

Li Hao was also surprised, realizing that his opponent was feigning weakness.

He had thought she was just an ordinary Dao Law cultivator, but within seconds, she revealed not one but two extreme realms.

The Extreme Divine Power Realm was no surprise; within the Land of Saints, the Merit Treasury had enabled most talents to attain this realm, as it could be exchanged directly for merit—a simpler path than cultivating it alone.

However, achieving the Void Extreme Realm was no small feat. Clearly, she was a rare prodigy as well.

Sword Lord had mentioned that the competition among loose cultivators was fierce, which Li Hao hadn’t entirely believed—until now.

While he reflected on this, he moved to attack again, capturing another wisp of wind. This time, however, he infused the wind with the Supreme Soft Sword Dao, rather than pure sword intent.

Whoosh!

The sword energy shot forth like a dragon emerging from the sea, piercing through her layered Dao Domains. Supreme softness was supreme hardness, cutting through in an instant.

Li Qingyi attempted to evade with Void Teleportation again, but it was as though she were locked in place. She felt a tingling at her throat, then a sharp pain.

Raising her hand to her neck, she found herself momentarily stunned.

"What?!"

Below the stage, several refined figures were frozen in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.

Barely two minutes on the stage, and Li Qingyi had already lost?

She was one of the Sacred Maidens of the Literary Sage Holy Land. Although she hadn’t used her favored Wen Dao techniques, her swift defeat seemed almost absurd.

And they could tell the opponent hadn’t even used his full strength.

As a master swordsman, Li Hao hadn't even drawn his sword. Instead, he defeated her with a mere wisp of wind.

Such swordsmanship was terrifying!

"Who is he? That swordsmanship is formidable... Could he be from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, also disguising himself as a loose cultivator like Li Qingyi?"

The fan-wielding youth stopped his fan mid-motion, eyes fixed on the young man on the stage. He searched his memory but found no recollection of this youth, unless he, too, had altered his appearance like Li Qingyi.

Beyond them, many other disciples had begun to notice this platform. Shocked by the intense fluctuations of Li Qingyi’s twenty-some Dao Domain layers, they turned their gaze towards her swift defeat.

“What’s happening on Platform 8? They’re still in the Top Ten Thousand matches, and yet top-tier talents are clashing?”

"Over twenty layers of Dao Domain? My goodness, is that even human?"

“I’ve heard that some Holy Sons and Holy Daughters from the Sacred Lands can achieve that.”

“Who is that young man who defeated her, and he didn’t even use his Dao Domain!”

Outside the platform, the crowd was abuzz. Many who had been watching other battles turned their heads. Yet this one had already ended, leaving them to eagerly ask those nearby for details of what had just occurred.

Li Qingyi snapped back to reality amidst the noise. She looked at the youth in front of her, meeting his calm gaze. He knew—he was waiting for her to yield.

After all, had he not held back with that final blow, her head would no longer be attached to her body.

She bit her lip lightly, feeling a sense of grievance, yet she knew there was no one to blame but herself. She transmitted her voice to him:

“What is your name?”

“Qing Feng.”

Li Hao replied using his alias. Until he had the strength to match a Void Saint, he could not reveal his identity.

After all, though the Thirty-Three Worlds were vast, a Saint adept in the Void Dao could come to kill him in the blink of an eye.

“With your strength, reaching the Top Ten loose cultivators shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll look for you at the Canglan Battle. This time, I didn’t use my full power—next time, let’s have a real duel!”

Li Qingyi’s heart stirred with defiance at his serene expression, and she transmitted a reply.

Li Hao, surprised, responded, “But haven’t you already lost? How can we fight again?”

Li Qingyi paused, a trace of shame and annoyance flashing across her face. "None of your concern!" she huffed coldly, and with that, she turned and left the platform.

Li Hao found her reaction odd but shrugged it off. Once the referee announced the result, he flew back to his seat, awaiting the next match.

...

Elsewhere, Li Qingyi rejoined her fellow disciples. The fan-wielding youth hurried over, asking:

“How much of his power did you think he used?”

Li Qingyi’s expression had grown solemn, her former gentleness replaced with gravity as she gazed at Li Hao, who was calmly sipping tea after leaving the stage. In a low voice, she replied:

"He didn’t use his Dao Domain or his extreme realms. And law power didn’t affect him, meaning he has a Dao Body. His swordsmanship... it has likely entered the Dao!”

“Entered the Dao?”

The others inhaled sharply, exchanging looks.

Reaching the level of Dao comprehension was something only Semi-Saints and Saints could achieve!

One step beyond that, and a cultivator could transcend to Sacrificial Dao Sainthood, becoming a Saint. Those who achieve this are extraordinary, even among Saints, and command great respect. Furthermore, compared to Incense Path Sainthood, Sacrificial Dao Sainthood allowed unrestricted movement through the mortal realm without suffering the damage caused by incense power.

“In the upcoming Canglan Battle, will we encounter this person as well? I’ve heard that the Buddhist Sect has two twin Holy Sons who are extremely formidable and are said to have mastered six extreme realms. I didn’t expect such talent to appear among loose cultivators as well.”

“And the Holy Son of Haoyue from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land—rumor has it he possesses the Sun and Moon Divine Eyes, capable of seeing through all illusions and countering many killing techniques. He’s another difficult opponent.”

“It seems this Canglan Battle will be incredibly intense. I wonder if we can secure the chance to represent Canglan in the upcoming fight.”

The group’s expressions grew serious. They had initially assumed loose cultivators would mostly be at the level of inner-sect geniuses. Yet seeing a true prodigy among them, they realized how fierce the competition would be.

Li Qingyi remained silent, her mind replaying the sword strike that had nearly reached her neck. She also recalled Li Hao’s calm demeanor as he had glanced at another battle platform when he first stepped onto the stage.

A wave of frustration surged within her. From start to finish, he had not considered the possibility of losing. And in the end, he hadn’t.

It was infuriating.

With one last look in his direction, Li Qingyi decided she no longer felt like staying. She said, “I’ll leave for now and return when the Top Hundred matches begin. Hopefully, someone will force him to reveal his extreme realms by then.”

The fan-wielding youth and others nodded, each feeling the pressure. Even loose cultivators could pose such a threat, prompting them to consider retreating for closed-door cultivation to further improve their skills.

As they left, elsewhere in the crowd, Qiu Wuhen observed the battle as well.

He noted the spot Li Qingyi had moved to after stepping down, where a group of figures, including one he had previously encountered, stood.

"She’s a Sacred Maiden of the Literary Sage Holy Land?" Qiu Wuhen mused, then glanced at Li Hao, who was sipping tea calmly. He shook his head with a hint of exasperation, realizing that this unassuming fellow had likely not realized he had just defeated a Sacred Maiden of the Literary Sage Holy Land.

The Literary Sage Holy Land sending someone to fight here was somewhat against the unspoken rules of fairness.

Qiu Wuhen sighed inwardly. Unfortunately, the clash hadn’t pushed Li Hao to use his full strength. Regretful, he turned and left, determined to train harder lest he fall too far behind.

...

Following his initial victory, Li Hao participated in several matches, effortlessly defeating each opponent with casual sword techniques formed from the wind.

Since his duel with Li Qingyi, Li Hao had drawn considerable attention. With each subsequent victory, he quickly became a favorite to win the entire competition, and many began betting on him to claim the championship.

For three days, matches continued as the Top Ten Thousand contestants were whittled down. Finally, the selection was complete, and the Top Hundred matches were set to begin.

Li Hao advanced to the Top Hundred with ease, securing every win with minimal effort.

During the rest period, many factions sent Li Hao invitation letters, hoping to meet with him.

Among these were representatives from royal dynasties and several first-rate powers.

Carefully comparing the offers, Li Hao ultimately accepted the invitation from the Canghai Divine Dynasty.

The Canghai Divine Dynasty was the largest divine dynasty in the Canglan Realm, with ten Semi-Saints serving as patrons. It maintained connections with the three great sacred lands: the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, the Buddhist Sect, and the Literary Sage Holy Land. These connections could also be described as tributes, with the dynasty providing incense offerings to the three sacred lands. Temples dedicated to Saints from all three sacred lands were established within the dynasty, ensuring their protection in exchange for these offerings.

The Canghai Divine Dynasty extended an olive branch to Li Hao, offering him the position of a divine patron. They promised him incense offerings from ten cities.

The scale of these cities was immense. Based on Li Hao’s research, if he were to receive incense from these ten cities, it would accelerate his path to Incense Path Sainthood by 40 years, reducing the time required from 300 years to just 260.

This was a monumental advantage, equivalent to saving 40 years of effort—or 400 years if one were an ordinary mortal.

Moreover, incense power was not solely determined by population size; the cultivation level of the worshippers significantly influenced its potency.

The Canghai Divine Dynasty had an abundance of martial artists, whose faith generated far stronger incense power than that of ordinary people.

Although winning first place in the competition would also grant an enormous amount of incense power sufficient for immediate Sainthood, incense was a continuous resource. Even after achieving Sainthood, it remained a vital source of power for those on the Incense Path, akin to absorbing the world’s energy. The more incense power a Saint absorbed, the stronger they became.

This was why established Saints were almost immovable forces compared to newly ascended Saints. Most incense power was monopolized by these long-standing Saints, leaving Semi-Saints and Holy Sons with limited access.

Li Hao accepted the Canghai Divine Dynasty’s invitation, but he also made additional demands for cultivation techniques.

...

Upon receiving Li Hao’s response, a secret order was delivered to the Canghai Emperor in the imperial palace.

“Your Majesty, the one called Qing Feng has agreed to join us as a divine patron,” reported a burly general in a low voice.

The Canghai Emperor’s face lit up with satisfaction. “Good, well done. This young man is extraordinarily powerful. Now that he serves as a divine patron for the Canghai Divine Dynasty, if he can represent the Canglan Realm in the upcoming battle, we shall receive a heavenly dragon’s blessing!”

“Your Majesty,” the burly general hesitated before speaking, “there has been much debate in the court about offering incense from ten cities. Over the years, we have already ceded significant incense to the three great sacred lands. Giving up ten more cities for someone who is only at the Dao Law Realm, not even a Semi-Saint—doesn’t that seem excessive?”

The Canghai Emperor smiled faintly. “The royal scion of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land sent a message. This person is no ordinary cultivator. Ten cities—he is worth it.”

The burly general was momentarily stunned but wisely refrained from asking further questions. Bowing his head, he added, “In addition to this Qing Feng, the three other extremely talented geniuses we invited have also accepted. One agreed for the incense of five cities, another for seven cities, and a third for twelve cities.”

He then looked to the Canghai Emperor and continued, “Altogether, we’ve ceded the incense of thirty-four cities—an entire province.”

The Canghai Emperor’s eyes brightened. “So the one called Chiguang agreed as well?”

The burly general nodded. “He initially demanded the incense of twenty cities, but after some negotiation, we supplemented the difference with rare pills. Additionally, he requested the hand of Princess Yunji in marriage.”

The Canghai Emperor’s eyes gleamed as he considered this, pausing in thought before replying:

“With his strength, he will undoubtedly represent the Canglan Realm in the battle. This guarantees us a share of the heavenly dragon’s blessing. Yunji, that child... her marriage to such a prodigious genius will not only benefit the dynasty but is also a blessing for her.”

The burly general lowered his head, refraining from further comment. In the royal family, marriage alliances were common. With so many imperial offspring, sacrificing one for the sake of a heavenly dragon’s blessing was entirely normal.
...

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