Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 445

Volume 3 - Chapter 130: Sword Lord’s Command Token, Yao Ancestor’s Trial - Part 3

At Yaochi Peak...

This place was originally known as the Saintess Peak of Yaochi. However, after Yao Zu ascended to the rank of Semi-Saint, the title "Saintess" was removed, leaving only "Yaochi."

The scenery was picturesque, and the spiritual energy was exceptionally dense. Jiang Yingyue brought Li Hao to the peak, flying on her sword. With the Sword Lord's Token in her possession, she bypassed the protective array and led Li Hao to land directly on the mountain.

The number of halls here was relatively few, and the atmosphere was tranquil. Still, there were dozens of disciples training in this area.

According to Jiang Yingyue, these were all registered disciples.

“Seventh Senior Sister!”

When they saw Jiang Yingyue, the registered disciples quickly greeted her. Most of them were women, with only a few men among their ranks.

Those few men furrowed their brows upon seeing Li Hao, their expressions turning serious. From their gazes, Li Hao could sense a certain wariness, as though they were on edge about an outsider intruding into their territory.

Li Hao found this amusing and followed Jiang Yingyue up to the peak of the mountain.

At the summit, the area was reserved for the residence of personal disciples. Jiang Yingyue led Li Hao to the holy platform at the top. There, Yao Zu sat gazing at the stars in the night sky.

Her breathtakingly beautiful figure sat alone on the Yao Platform, the night breeze brushing past her, exuding an unmatched grace.

Li Hao glanced over and was momentarily dazed but quickly composed himself.

“Master, I’ve returned with the Qingfeng Alchemist,” Jiang Yingyue reported respectfully, standing just outside the holy platform with her head bowed.

Yao Zu turned her head, and the contemplative look between her brows vanished. She glanced at Li Hao and smiled gently.

“Have you selected a cultivation method?”

“Yes.”

Li Hao nodded solemnly and said, “Thank you, Yao Zu, for your generosity.”

As he spoke, he retrieved the Sword Lord’s Token and handed it back to her.

Yao Zu noticed but did not immediately reach for it. Instead, her gaze fell on the Great Dao Sword Technique in Li Hao’s hand.

Her expression remained calm. That Li Hao had chosen a cultivation technique from the ninth level of the Sword Tower was expected. Choosing the Great Dao Sword Technique was equally reasonable.

“This technique was created by the Sword Saint. It is rather challenging. Take it back and practice for ten days, then return here to let me see your progress,” Yao Zu said softly. “If you have not made progress within ten days, you should go back to the eighth level of the Sword Tower and select another technique.”

Li Hao understood that Yao Zu intended to return the favor owed to the artist who gifted her the painting. However, the favor of a painting paled in comparison to the opportunities he had gained during this trip.

“Understood,” Li Hao replied with a nod, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Though he had already mastered the technique to its true form, revealing such a feat would only shock others and lead to tiresome explanations.

Jiang Yingyue glanced at Li Hao, hesitated, but ultimately decided not to mention his mastery of ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain, respecting her prior agreement with him. To expose it now would risk offending someone.

Since Yao Zu did not take back the token, Li Hao put it away again. After bidding farewell to them, he left Yaochi Peak and returned to the alchemy courtyard.

...

At the alchemy courtyard, Li Hao saw Lin Qingying sitting cross-legged in the yard under the bright moonlight. A long sword rested horizontally on her knees as she sat in meditation, seemingly gaining insight into something.

The moonlight reflected on the sword’s blade, producing a glimmering white radiance.

Lin Shanhai noticed Li Hao’s return and greeted him with a smile, promptly asking about his trip to the Sword Tower.

Li Hao gave a brief summary, but Lin Qingying, hearing the youth’s voice, slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze swept toward him, falling on the cultivation technique in his hand.

“The Great Dao Sword Technique... This sword technique is exceedingly difficult,” Lin Qingying commented succinctly.

Li Hao looked at her and smiled, nodding. “Yao Zu also said it would be challenging.”

“I heard that the Saintess Xue’er mastered this technique in just three days. If you can enter its basics within ten days, you would be considered a top-tier genius,” Lin Qingying remarked.

For a Holy Son or Holy Daughter, three days signified their supreme talent. If one could grasp the basics in ten days, they would still rank as an elite genius among inner disciples.

However, if it took a month or even years, it would indicate that the individual’s achievements in swordsmanship would likely be limited.

Li Hao understood that the Saintess Xue’er she mentioned referred to Bian Ruxue, who was a disciple of the Sword Saint and among the most prestigious of all Holy Sons and Holy Daughters.

“I’m just practicing it for fun. If I can grasp it, great,” Li Hao said with a casual smile, offering no further explanation.

Lin Qingying frowned slightly upon hearing this and glanced at Li Hao.

She had thought that Li Hao’s interest in the Sword Tower stemmed from witnessing the clash of the supreme talents. But now, it seemed more like a fleeting whim.

Her eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment and regret. She said nothing more and closed her eyes to focus on her insights again.

...

Feeling a bit hungry, Li Hao went to the kitchen, prepared some food, and brought it out. The aroma was so enticing that even Lin Shanhai, who had already eaten dinner, couldn’t resist taking a bite.

Lin Qingying glanced over and frowned slightly, her disappointment growing.

Having just obtained such a rare and powerful sword technique, any true sword enthusiast would have been utterly engrossed, neglecting food and sleep. Yet, here was Li Hao, cooking instead of immersing himself in study.

She recalled her earlier expectations of him and now felt only disillusionment.

Still, she reminded herself that Li Hao was primarily an alchemist and had little interest in swordsmanship, which made sense.

Settling her emotions, she focused on her practice.

After finishing the meal with Lin Shanhai, Li Hao took the Great Dao Sword Technique, bid farewell to the grandfather and granddaughter, and returned to his own courtyard.

Since he had already mastered the Great Dao Sword Technique, there was no need to practice it further. Now full and rested, he could resume cultivating his Dao Domain.

...

In his courtyard, Li Hao set up a barrier and maximized the stealth attributes of his Dao Domain. Sitting cross-legged, he began his cultivation.

The numerous techniques he had absorbed previously were gradually refined and expanded. Before long, his Dao Domain extended from ninety-seven layers to one hundred layers!

Within a three-foot radius around him, the layered Dao Domain condensed into a solid, impenetrable field. Li Hao sensed that even the laws of heaven and earth would struggle to infiltrate his Dao Domain.

The sheer force of these one hundred layers could suppress a True Person Realm cultivator to the point of collapse, potentially even tearing them apart.

This was purely the strength of the Dao Domain alone, without the support of other extreme realms.

Yet to Li Hao’s surprise, even at one hundred layers, he had not touched the Extreme Realm.

He lacked the unique insight and state of being that marked the breakthrough into the Extreme Realm.

...

Li Hao continued cultivating, and soon his Dao Domain reached 108 layers, but still, he had not touched the Extreme Realm.

Reflecting on the patterns of other extreme realms, where the requirements were often a hundredfold the norm, Li Hao speculated, “Could it be that I need 180 layers?”

His eyes gleamed with determination. The higher the difficulty, the stronger the potential power of the Extreme Realm.

Instead of feeling disheartened, Li Hao was invigorated, throwing himself wholeheartedly into refining the techniques he had acquired in the Sword Tower.

His Dao Domain continued to grow, reaching 167 layers. The space around him felt as if it might shatter under the immense pressure of the layered Dao Domain.

Though he hadn’t faced an opponent yet, Li Hao felt confident that even the laws of a Dao Law Realm cultivator would be annihilated upon contact with his domain.

This eighth step of the Extreme Realm, while not yet complete, had already brought him power surpassing any Extreme Realm short of Immortal Transformation.

It could even rival the most perfected forms of Immortal Transformation...

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