Chapter 322: The Sword Master's Command, Yaozu's Test
"Ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain?"
Upon hearing the Sword Master's words, the three present were stunned. They exchanged bewildered glances, unsure if they had misheard.
Jiang Yingyue was in a daze, her mind filled with nothing but question marks. She didn't dare doubt the Sword Master; she preferred to believe her ears were at fault.
The alchemist who had accompanied her had ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain? How was that possible?
Such a high number of Dao Domains was unheard of. Even she had only cultivated fifteen layers, which was already a testament to her exceptional talent.
It must be noted that she also had to balance her cultivation realm and swordsmanship. With limited time and under a century of age, reaching her current level made her one of the most outstanding prodigies.
Only those born with innate Dao constitutions, such as the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, could surpass her—an achievement reached through intense personal effort.
The Sword Master, without waiting for their reactions, disappeared in a flash and reappeared on the fifth level of the Sword Tower.
There, Li Hao was sitting in meditation. The sudden appearance of the Sword Master startled Li Hao, though the Sword Master's aura was subtle. Yet, Li Hao detected a faint fishy smell!
This was the instinct of an experienced fisherman, extremely sensitive to the scent of water—the smell came from the Sword Master's fishing rod and line.
"Sword Master?" Li Hao opened his eyes and saw the figure before him, wearing a bamboo hat and radiating a calm demeanor, yet exuding an overwhelming pressure like a shadow looming over him.
Although the Sword Master didn't intentionally release his aura and had carefully concealed it, the unique presence of a Saint was unmistakable at such close proximity, making it intimidating.
"Ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain—are you trying to break through to the Extreme Realm?" the Sword Master asked, eyeing Li Hao with great interest.
Li Hao felt a chill in his heart. His All-Encompassing Attribute and attributes like Jiang Xue Map and Hidden Bow had always worked flawlessly, making him nearly impossible to detect. Yet, the Sword Master saw through him effortlessly.
Could it be that his attribute skills were ineffective against Saints?
Sensing Li Hao's alarm and thoughts, the Sword Master chuckled lightly and said, "You have a technique to conceal your aura, and it's quite advanced. But don't you know this Sword Tower is my weapon?"
"Training inside my weapon—how could I not be aware, no matter how well-hidden you are?"
Li Hao was taken aback, his expression dumbfounded. This Sword Tower was a weapon?
No one had mentioned that to him! Internally, Li Hao felt like crying but replied awkwardly, "Breaking through to the Extreme Realm is difficult, but I still want to give it a try."
The Sword Master nodded slightly. "A warrior who doesn't strive for the Extreme Realm will find it hard to achieve great success. Cultivating ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain shows you have exceptional talent. I've heard from my disciple that you're an alchemist? And that painting earlier—was it your work?"
He looked at Li Hao with a glint of interest in his eyes. The painting alone was no simple feat, requiring deep dedication and skill. And the fact that this young man seemed to be an experienced fisherman as well intrigued him even more.
"I suppose you could call me half an alchemist," Li Hao replied with a bitter smile, knowing that explaining his situation would take more than just a few words.
"The painting was mine. If you liked it, senior, I would be honored to create a painting for you as well."
Li Hao's mind raced, not forgetting his goal of gathering favors.
The Sword Master was slightly surprised and gave Li Hao a once-over before flipping his hand, revealing a small, pitch-black mirror.
Li Hao recognized it—it was the same Bone Reflection Mirror that Lin Qingying had shown him earlier, though he wasn't sure if it was the exact same one. Did these Bone Reflection Mirrors proliferate in the lands of the Saints?
Li Hao pondered sarcastically as the mirror's reflection soon displayed his age—28 years old.
He had been resting and cultivating in this place for nearly a year, raising his swordsmanship to the eighth level and fully mastering the Divine Blood Dao Body. His progress was remarkable.
"Only 28 years old?" The Sword Master's gaze sharpened, the calmness in his eyes turning to intense focus.
The mere fact of having ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain had only slightly piqued his interest. After all, cultivating Dao Domains required talent, but given thousands or tens of thousands of years, even top inner disciples could accumulate them over time.
However, achieving ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain at 28 years of age, with a Taiping Dao Realm cultivation, was a different story. Even if he had cultivated one layer of Dao Domain per year, it would have taken over a hundred years!
Moreover, cultivating Dao Domains wasn't that simple. It required profound comprehension of an ultimate technique to an extraordinary level before extending it into a Dao Domain.
It demanded focused dedication.
Considering the speed of his progress, was Li Hao cultivating three or four layers of Dao Domain per year?
This, without even accounting for his infancy, when he couldn't cultivate, or the time needed to elevate his realm. Such speed was beyond belief!
"With such talent, you're not a Holy Son or Holy Daughter, and you're not from our Holy Land, are you?" the Sword Master asked, his gaze locking onto Li Hao.
Someone of such monstrous talent was a rarity, even in the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, where such figures would certainly create a stir. Even as a reclusive figure, the Sword Master would have heard of him by now.
Li Hao sighed inwardly. He had come to this place hoping to cultivate in peace, but his talents had been exposed. Now, concealing the truth would only bring him trouble. Given that the methods of a Saint were beyond comprehension for most, any lies could easily be uncovered.
He then briefly explained how he had been hunted by enemies, leading to his fall into this place, where Lin Qingying had taken him in.
These facts could be confirmed with Lin Qingying and Lin Shanhai, so there was no need to hide them.
As for the identity of his enemies, he didn't mention it, as it involved a Saint, and unexpected complications could arise.
After hearing Li Hao's story, the Sword Master wasn't surprised. He nodded slightly and said, "I knew it—you couldn't possibly be from our Sword Ancestor's Holy Land without me knowing."
A prodigy of such caliber would have caused an uproar in the Holy Land, and even someone as detached as he would have heard about it.
The Sword Master looked at Li Hao again but didn't pry further about his enemies or past. Since Li Hao hadn't mentioned them, it meant he didn't wish to discuss them, and the Sword Master wasn't one to force people. He could already make a few educated guesses.
"It's no wonder Yaozu values you. So, do you intend to join our Holy Land, or will you stay here temporarily and leave after a while?" the Sword Master asked.
He surmised that with Li Hao's monstrous talent, his background must be extremely profound, perhaps linked to one of the Supreme Saints. It was possible that Li Hao would not stay long in the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land.
"Saintess Qingying has shown me great kindness. Since she is part of the Holy Land, I would prefer not to involve the Holy Land in my personal matters, to avoid bringing trouble to this place in the future," Li Hao said seriously.
The Sword Master nodded. Just as he had guessed, Li Hao didn't belong to the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land but was likely a personal disciple of one of the Supreme Saints. Now that he had fallen into this predicament, it was likely the result of internal struggles within those higher circles.
Once Li Hao sought revenge, it would undoubtedly lead to chaos. Avoiding entanglement with the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land was a gesture of goodwill.
With this thought, the Sword Master's opinion of Li Hao improved. "I'll pretend I didn't see any of this. Continue your cultivation, and when you seek your revenge, just refrain from using our Holy Land's sword techniques."
"I would never implicate the Holy Land," Li Hao assured him earnestly.
The Sword Master said no more and, with a flicker, disappeared with his fishing rod.
Li Hao let out a sigh of relief but decided not to continue cultivating for the time being.
The Sword Master likely thought he had just recently cultivated his ninety-seventh layer of Dao Domain, rather than having done so in one go.
There was a significant difference between the two.
Standing up, Li Hao made his way to the sixth level of the Sword Tower. Once again, he recorded all the techniques he found, his thoughts swirling. This time, however, he resisted the urge to cultivate on the spot.
Next, he ascended to the seventh level.
On the seventh level, the techniques were all Dao-level techniques and divine abilities.
There were various Dao-level body-refining techniques and sword techniques, and mastering them to perfection would allow one to hear the Dao.
The eighth level of the Sword Tower was filled entirely with Dao-level techniques, including precious high-tier divine abilities.
Divine abilities were the ultimate moves mastered at the Dao Law Realm, more intricate and difficult to counter than basic law manipulation.
Finally, on the ninth level, Li Hao encountered the Holy Land's most elite Dao techniques, Saint laws, and top-tier divine abilities.
Only the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters had the privilege to train in these techniques, second only to the exclusive secret arts taught by the Semi-Saints and Saints.
Li Hao recorded them all and eventually selected one of the most elite Dao-level sword techniques.
This technique, created by a Sword Saint, wasn't the Sword Saint's strongest sword technique, but it was among the most powerful techniques available.
However, mastering this technique was incredibly difficult. It was called the Great Dao Sword Technique.
With Li Hao's eighth-level sword comprehension, he quickly perfected the technique after recording it, reaching the highest level of mastery.
He then integrated his improved Solely My Sword Intent into the technique, further deepening his understanding and raising it to the True State.
The Great Dao Sword Technique was true to its name—what he wielded was no longer just a sword, but the Dao itself.
The Dao as the sword, the sword as the Dao—indestructible!
The Great Dao Sword Intent extended from the sword technique and was merged into Li Hao's Solely My Sword Intent, making it even more pure.
Even the Dao could be severed!
Despite mastering the technique, Li Hao chose to keep the Great Dao Sword Technique as his take-away from the Sword Tower.
After all, leaving the Sword Tower empty-handed would certainly raise suspicions.
Upon exiting the Sword Tower, Li Hao found Jiang Yingyue and the two sword attendants waiting for him. Their gazes, however, were now different from before.
The Sword Master's words still echoed in their ears, and they looked at Li Hao as if he exuded the aura of a master swordsman with every step.
But upon closer inspection, he was simply walking normally.
"Do you really have ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain?" Jiang Yingyue couldn't hold back her question when Li Hao approached.
Her eyes were wide, watching him closely, as if waiting for him to confirm it.
She didn't know why, but her heart was in turmoil.
Li Hao knew why and simply asked, "Where did you hear that?"
"The Sword Master himself said so," Jiang Yingyue replied, staring at Li Hao as if to challenge him to deny it.
Li Hao wore a look of realization, though inwardly he sighed. A Saint could not be wrong, so there was no denying it.
He nodded, "Yes, it's true."
Seeing Li Hao confirm it, Jiang Yingyue's heart trembled. Although she had known that a Saint couldn't be wrong and that it wasn't possible for all three of them to mishear, hearing it from Li Hao's own mouth still caused a massive wave of shock within her.
Ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain—this was too astonishing. Even if one did nothing else, devoting all time and effort to cultivating so many layers of Dao Domain would still take an unimaginably long time.
"With just the Taiping Dao Realm, your strength must be at the pinnacle," said the female sword attendant in the bronze mask, unable to hide her amazement.
"Unless you face those monstrous geniuses with Extreme Realms, just the accumulation of so many layers of Dao Domain could probably delay even the penetration of the laws. It's unbelievable," the male sword attendant added with a sigh.
"The Master says that to excel in anything, one must focus solely on it. Only those who are pure of mind can reach the pinnacle. That's why Extreme Realms exist—they are achieved only by those who pursue one thing to its absolute limit. Are you planning to abandon everything else and focus solely on mastering the Eighth Extreme Realm?"
Li Hao did indeed have this goal in mind, though he wouldn't abandon everything else. He replied, "This is a matter of cultivation; I ask that you keep this a secret."
The three of them understood this. In battle, hidden cultivation bases were a form of concealed power. Both sword attendants nodded, indicating they would keep his secret.
Jiang Yingyue, however, looked at Li Hao and asked, "If you've reached this level of cultivation, have you also mastered other Extreme Realms? Aren't you supposed to be an alchemist? How old are you?"
Li Hao gave her an odd glance and said, "Senior Sister Jiang, isn't this something personal?"
Jiang Yingyue's expression shifted slightly, becoming a bit complicated. She knew she had been too excited, but she couldn't help it—ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain had shaken her to her core.
She was one of the top inner disciples, surpassing all but the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters. She had believed she had reached the pinnacle of effort and talent, but now here stood someone who had surpassed her by a wide margin.
If Li Hao's previous martial cultivation was mediocre and he focused solely on the Eighth Extreme Realm, she could accept that. But if he had also mastered other Extreme Realms, it was terrifying.
And on top of that, Li Hao was an alchemist and had recently created that stunning painting. If he also excelled in multiple domains, then his age must be considerable.
"Your age—surely you can tell me that?" Jiang Yingyue pressed, unwilling to let it go.
Li Hao sighed helplessly. "Asking a man's age is rather impolite."
"..." Jiang Yingyue felt a surge of frustration, but she couldn't argue with that. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Li Hao.
She also recalled how, earlier, when the Sword Master invited Li Hao to fish, Li Hao's words had coincided with the Sword Master's strike, hooking that True Dragon. It suggested that Li Hao had a deep understanding of fishing as well.
The most crucial thing was that Li Hao enjoyed fishing—a hobby usually associated with the elderly.
Perhaps he was merely using techniques to maintain a youthful appearance, a common practice. After all, she herself was already over ninety years old, yet she felt like a young woman. She, too, kept her appearance youthful.
Upon reaching the Three Immortality Realm, aging slowed significantly, and upon reaching the Four Standings Realm, one could manipulate their physical appearance.
For demons, reaching the Fifteen-Mile Realm allowed them to freely transform into a child or a beautiful woman, at will.
Therefore, appearances alone were not enough to judge someone's age.
If only I had a Bone Reflection Mirror... Jiang Yingyue thought to herself.
Meanwhile, the two sword attendants had calmed down. The male attendant glanced at the sword technique manual Li Hao was holding and asked, "Have you chosen your technique?"
Li Hao nodded and handed the manual to him so he could remove the laws sealing it.
The male sword attendant raised his eyebrow when he saw it was the Great Dao Sword Technique. "You've chosen this one? Do you realize this technique was created by the Sword Saint and is one of the most elite Dao-level sword techniques?"
"Yes," Li Hao nodded. It was precisely because it was a top-tier technique that he had chosen it.
Seeing that Li Hao hadn't grasped his point, the sword attendant explained, "This top-tier sword technique requires exceptional comprehension. While its power is unparalleled, its difficulty to master is equally high. If you're focusing on refining your Dao Domain, this technique may consume a lot of your time and effort."
Li Hao now understood the sword attendant's concern. He was worried that Li Hao would become too absorbed in the intricacies of the technique and neglect his Dao Domain cultivation.
"No problem—Yaozu will be teaching me. I'm confident I can handle it," Li Hao said.
Seeing Li Hao's determination, the sword attendant said no more. After all, if Li Hao had cultivated ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain, his talent was clearly extraordinary. The sword technique would simply require more effort.
With a few gestures, the sword attendant removed the seal on the manual and handed it back to Li Hao.
"Do not pass this technique on to anyone else. If you're caught violating this rule, you'll be thrown into the Endless Sword Prison, where you'll be torn apart by ten thousand swords every day, without the release of death," he warned gravely, clearly emphasizing the severity of the matter.
Li Hao shuddered inwardly, once again reminded that techniques were the foundation of any power, and protecting them was paramount.
With the sword technique chosen, Li Hao inquired about the Sword Master's whereabouts. Suddenly, the Sword Master's voice echoed in his mind:
"I'm tired today. If you want to fish, you can come anytime. Here's my Sword Token."
As the voice faded, a silver Sword Token, about the length of a short dagger, appeared in midair and dropped toward Li Hao.
Li Hao quickly caught it.
The two sword attendants froze, their expressions stunned.
Their master had casually handed his personal Sword Token to an outsider?
Jiang Yingyue, recognizing it, was equally shocked. This was a Saint's personal token, and Li Hao had received it just like that?
Li Hao was also surprised. He bowed slightly toward the Sword Tower and said, "Thank you, Sword Master."
He then put the token away and gestured to Jiang Yingyue that they could leave.
Jiang Yingyue was still in a bit of a daze, feeling somewhat bewildered and speechless.
She had waited for so long, only for them to leave without fishing?
It seemed that the Sword Master and Li Hao had communicated privately, and today's fishing session had been canceled.
Having no choice, Jiang Yingyue led Li Hao back.
When they returned to the area around the ten platforms, everyone had already left. Only a few disciples remained, cleaning up the area and repairing the platforms.
"The preliminary selection is over. I'll take you to Yaochi Peak to see my master," Jiang Yingyue said after a glance around.
Li Hao thought for a moment. Since Lin Shanhai and the others were aware of his whereabouts and weren't waiting for him, they likely trusted him enough.
"Alright," he agreed.
After recording so many techniques from the Sword Tower, his gains were substantial, and it was only proper to thank Yaozu in person.
Even though verbal thanks weren't worth much, it was all he could offer for now.
…
At Yaochi Peak.
This was once the Holy Daughter Peak of Yaochi, but after Yaozu ascended to become a Semi-Saint, the title of Holy Daughter was removed, and it was now simply called Yaochi.
The peak was beautiful, rich in energy, and serene. Jiang Yingyue flew with Li Hao to the peak's summit, passing through the formations with ease thanks to the command token she carried.
The peak had few structures and was relatively quiet, with only a few dozen disciples cultivating there.
According to Jiang Yingyue, these were all named disciples.
"Senior Sister Seventh!"
When the named disciples saw Jiang Yingyue, they hurriedly greeted her. Most of them were women, with only a few men among them.
The men's gazes sharpened when they saw Li Hao. From their expressions, Li Hao could tell they were wary of this outsider's intrusion.
Amused, Li Hao followed Jiang Yingyue to the top of the peak.
At the summit was the Saint Platform, where the personal disciples resided. Jiang Yingyue led Li Hao to the top, where they saw Yaozu sitting there, gazing at the stars in the night sky.
Her stunning figure sat alone on the platform, her beauty radiating in the soft night breeze.
Li Hao took one glance and was momentarily entranced, but quickly regained his composure.
"Master, I've returned with Qingfeng Alchemist," Jiang Yingyue reported, bowing her head respectfully from outside the platform.
Yaozu turned her gaze toward them, her previous contemplation disappearing. She smiled at Li Hao and asked, "Have you chosen your technique?"
"Yes," Li Hao nodded and said earnestly, "Thank you, Yaozu, for your kindness."
With that, he presented the command token, offering to return it to her.
Yaozu glanced at the token but didn't reach out to take it immediately. Instead, her attention shifted to the Great Dao Sword Technique in Li Hao's hands.
There was no surprise in her eyes. It was only natural for Li Hao to have chosen a technique from the ninth level of the Sword Tower, and selecting the Great Dao Sword Technique was also perfectly reasonable.
"This technique was created by the Sword Saint, and it's quite challenging. Take it with you and practice for ten days. Then return, and I'll assess your progress."
"If you can't make any progress within ten days, you'll need to return to the eighth level of the Sword Tower and select another technique," Yaozu said gently.
Li Hao understood that she was offering to help him as a way of repaying the favor of his painting. However, the value of the painting paled in comparison to the tremendous benefits he had gained on this trip.
"Understood," Li Hao replied, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Though he had already mastered the technique to the True State, he knew revealing that would be too shocking, and he didn't want to spend time explaining.
Jiang Yingyue glanced at Li Hao but decided against revealing his ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain. After all, she had promised to keep his secret.
Since Yaozu didn't take back the command token, Li Hao simply put it away, bid them farewell, and left Yaochi Peak, heading back to the Alchemists' Hall.
…
At the Alchemists' Hall, Li Hao found Lin Qingying sitting in the courtyard, cross-legged, with her sword laid across her knees as she meditated under the bright moonlight.
The moonlight reflected off her sword, casting a gleaming, snow-white light.
Lin Shanhai noticed Li Hao's return and greeted him with a smile, immediately asking about his trip to the Sword Tower.
Li Hao gave a brief account of what happened, and Lin Qingying, hearing his voice, slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on the name of the technique Li Hao held.
"The Great Dao Sword Technique—this sword technique is very difficult," Lin Qingying said tersely, her words brief and to the point.
Li Hao looked at her and smiled, "Yaozu also mentioned that it's difficult."
"I heard that Holy Daughter Xue'er mastered this sword technique within three days. If you can master it in ten days, you'll be considered exceptionally gifted," Lin Qingying said.
Three days was the standard for someone of the level of a Holy Son or Holy Daughter. To master it within ten days would place Li Hao among the top inner disciples.
But if he took more than that—a month, or even years—it would mean his potential in swordsmanship was limited.
Li Hao knew that the Holy Daughter Xue'er she referred to was Bian Ruxue, a personal disciple of the Sword Saint and one of the most prominent Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, both in background and status.
"I'm just practicing for fun. It would be great if I can master it," Li Hao said casually, downplaying it.
Hearing Li Hao's response, Lin Qingying frowned slightly and gave him a look.
She had thought that Li Hao's request to visit the Sword Tower was spurred by watching the competition among the prodigies, inspiring him to pursue swordsmanship. But now it seemed like a fleeting interest.
Disappointment and regret flashed in her eyes, and she said no more, returning to her meditation.
The recent competition had shown her that many of the inner disciples were powerful, and she knew she had to improve herself even further.
Meanwhile, Li Hao, feeling a bit hungry, headed to the kitchen to prepare some food. When he brought out the fragrant dishes, even Lin Shanhai, who had already eaten dinner, couldn't resist his appetite.
Lin Qingying glanced at him, her frown deepening. She felt even more regret.
Someone who had just acquired a top-tier sword technique would typically be completely absorbed in studying it, forgoing sleep and food. Yet here was Li Hao, leisurely cooking instead of delving into his new technique.
She had held such high hopes, but now she was left feeling disappointed.
Still, she reminded herself that Li Hao was primarily an alchemist, with little interest in swordsmanship, so perhaps it was only natural.
Her mood soon calmed, and she stopped thinking about it.
After finishing his meal with Lin Shanhai, Li Hao took the Great Dao Sword Technique and, bidding the grandfather and granddaughter farewell, returned to his own courtyard.
Since he had already mastered the sword technique, there was no need to practice it further. Now that he was full and satisfied, he could resume cultivating his Dao Domain.
He casually set up a barrier and maximized the concealing attribute of his manuals, then began his cultivation in the courtyard.
The techniques he had recorded earlier began to integrate, and soon, a new Dao Domain emerged.
Quickly, his Dao Domain rose from ninety-seven to one hundred layers!
In the area where Li Hao sat cross-legged, within a radius of three feet, the hundred-layered Dao Domain condensed, becoming as solid as if it were made of pure matter. Li Hao felt that even the laws themselves would have difficulty penetrating his Dao Domain.
Just the pressure of these hundred layers alone could easily suppress a Realized Dao Realm expert, rendering them immobile, possibly even tearing them apart!
And this was only the power of his Dao Domain, not including his other Extreme Realms.
However, to Li Hao's surprise, despite having reached one hundred layers of Dao Domain, he still hadn't touched the Extreme Realm.
He hadn't sensed the unique state or realization that came with reaching the Extreme Realm.
Li Hao resumed his cultivation, and soon his Dao Domain reached one hundred and eight layers, but still, no sign of the Extreme Realm.
He realized that the thresholds for each Extreme Realm varied greatly. For example, in the Unified Strength Realm, ordinary cultivators achieved around ten thousand jin of strength, but the Extreme Realm demanded one million jin!
Now, his Dao Domain seemed to follow a similar pattern. He had already reached one hundred times the norm for the Taiping Dao Realm, yet the Extreme Realm eluded him.
"Could it be that I need to reach one hundred and eighty layers?" Li Hao wondered, his eyes shining with determination. He sensed that as his cultivation level increased, the Extreme Realms became even more difficult to touch.
However, the greater the difficulty, the more powerful the Extreme Realm would be upon reaching it!
Far from being discouraged, Li Hao felt invigorated.
He threw himself into his cultivation, integrating the numerous techniques from the Sword Tower.
As he continued, his Dao Domain grew, reaching one hundred and sixty-seven layers!
At this point, the density of his Dao Domain seemed to crush the very space around him, as if the void itself could barely withstand the pressure.
Although he hadn't engaged in actual combat, Li Hao was certain that the laws of the Dao Law Realm would be unable to penetrate his Dao Domain, disintegrating instantly upon contact!
Though he hadn't yet reached the Extreme Realm of his Dao Domain, the sheer power he now commanded far exceeded that of any other Extreme Realm.
It was comparable to the ultimate mastery of the Immortalization Realm.