Chapter 326: Defeat, Ninth Stage of Painting Dao
The sword qi reflected within the 22-layer Dao Domain, slashing directly across Bian Ruxue's cheek, leaving a scar on her beautiful face.
However, the wound healed in an instant as Bian Ruxue's body vanished into the Void, avoiding the sharp edge of the strike at the moment she was injured.
When she reappeared, her gaze had grown much more serious.
"Ultimate Soft Sword Intent... perfected!"
"Qingying has actually mastered her sword intent to perfection. Did she have an epiphany after her battle with Zhanlong Holy Son?"
On the Sacred Platform, many of the other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters had somber expressions.
Many among them had yet to achieve perfection in their sword intent, but a perfected sword intent was only one step away from entering the Dao!
"Unfortunately, it's still just a minor path."
Hao Yue Holy Son's eyes flashed with surprise, but he quickly shook his head. Compared to his grand Sun and Moon Dao, it was still a minor path, and even if perfected, it was not worth worrying about.
"Qingying, ever since her master's incident, has been comprehending swordsmanship on her own, and it seems that it hasn't hindered her cultivation too much," Yao Ancestor mused, his eyes narrowing slightly. To achieve such mastery of sword intent at her age, Qingying's sword Dao comprehension was truly terrifying.
If given a few more centuries, she could very well become a Sword Dao half-saint.
But for a genius, the path of cultivation is fraught with competition, and many perish early on.
On the battle stage, Bian Ruxue sensed that her opponent's sword intent was not only perfected but also far more profound than her own. The advantage she initially had was now nullified.
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her internal energy into her spine's sword bone. This Ice Snow Sword Bone had been with her since birth, though dormant until it was awakened by her master, the Sword Saint. Now, as she channeled her energy into the sword bone, a frigid chill emanated from her body.
The temperature around her plummeted, and Bian Ruxue's aura surged. Her internal energy, after being processed through the sword bone, transformed into Sword Qi.
Whoosh!
In an instant, she stepped forward, activating her Void Shifting technique.
To reach the Void Extreme Realm, one had to master numerous control techniques to their utmost limit.
Thanks to her master's guidance and the Sword Saint's comprehensive teaching, Bian Ruxue had achieved mastery of the Void Extreme Realm within six months.
Despite her short years of cultivation, she had already unlocked all the extreme realms available to her.
As she appeared before Lin Qingying, a vast amount of sword qi gathered within her, and she unleashed a single sword strike, as if freezing the world.
Lin Qingying's Dao Domain manifested, expanding into 28 layers, but it was immediately infiltrated and frozen by the icy sword qi. The sword law principles within her sword domain were frozen, and her domain was quickly broken through by Bian Ruxue's own.
As the frigid sword qi came slashing down, Lin Qingying's sword light twisted, and the area around her seemed to fill with the ebb and flow of tidal currents. The water-like sword intent wrapped around Bian Ruxue's sword qi, diverting it to the side. The tide-like sword intent then surged back, encircling Bian Ruxue.
Bian Ruxue was startled. With a low shout, her sword intent erupted, filling the battlefield with ice, freezing the flowing tides of sword energy.
Clang!
The two swords clashed, and the fierce sword qi, like a great axe, sent Lin Qingying retreating.
"Ice Snow Sword Bone... No wonder she was chosen as the personal disciple of the Sword Saint. It's said they met by chance in the mortal realm."
"Her sword Dao and her natural talent fit together perfectly."
"With the Sword Saint's direct guidance, how could there be any mistakes? She will never stray from the path."
On the Sacred Platform, many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters exchanged glances. They hadn't expected this youngest Holy Daughter to possess such formidable strength. With her Ice Snow Sword Bone, she was able to suppress Lin Qingying's perfected sword intent and 28-layer Dao Domain!
However, they could all tell that Lin Qingying had not yet used her full strength.
After all, perfected sword intent was far more than what she had shown, and Lin Qingying also had a Dao Body that she had not yet activated.
"Are you not planning to use your Heaven and Earth Avatar?" Bian Ruxue's gaze remained calm as she looked at Lin Qingying.
Unlike the other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, Bian Ruxue lacked the Heaven and Earth Avatar.
While others had reached the Five Extremes Realm, she only possessed four extremes. When she was taken under the Sword Saint's tutelage, her soul had been entrusted to the Qian Dao Palace, where a Dao Law Realm expert had presided over her Soul Ascension.
This deprived her of the opportunity to ever possess a Heaven and Earth Avatar.
However, her master, the Sword Saint, had told her that when she reached the bottleneck of this life, she could reincarnate and cultivate anew. He would protect her through the process, and in her next life, she would reach her true peak.
Lin Qingying heard her words and shook her head slightly without saying anything. Instead, the energy within her began to shift into her Innate Supreme Yin Dao Fetus. Her power swirled within her abdomen, and her entire body seemed to transform into a force as gentle as flowing water.
Only she knew the full extent of her true strength after perfecting her Ultimate Soft Sword Intent.
Paired with her Innate Supreme Yin Dao Fetus, she could push her sword intent to its absolute peak. She had originally intended to reserve this power for later battles against stronger opponents, but now, it seemed she had to use it earlier than expected.
As Lin Qingying's aura shifted, Bian Ruxue quickly sensed it. Her expression became more serious as she channeled the sword qi from her Sword Bone, fusing it with her Ice Snow Sword Intent. She raised her sword and prepared to unleash the technique she had been cultivating since childhood, later perfected with her master's guidance to the level of Dao.
Snow Realm!
Her sword remained still, but a biting cold spread outward like cracking ice.
Suddenly, she slashed her sword, and it felt as though snow began to fall.
Countless snowflakes transformed into thousands of sword beams, all transported instantly before Lin Qingying by Void Shifting.
It was as if thousands of swords had been fired at once, freezing everything in their path.
However, Lin Qingying stood there, seemingly unresponsive. The snowflake-like sword beams converged, but they passed right through her body.
Ultimate Softness!
Softness that cannot be touched.
Dressed in her simple green robe, Lin Qingying stood still in the midst of the storm. The swirling sword qi barely stirred her hair.
She calmly held her sword, merely gazing at Bian Ruxue.
This terrifying scene caused Bian Ruxue to lose her composure.
The crowd watching from outside was equally shocked.
"How is that possible?!"
"She's completely unharmed! She can't be hit or touched?!"
"This is the power of perfected Ultimate Soft Sword Intent?"
On the Sacred Platform, many of the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters were equally astonished. The technique Lin Qingying had just demonstrated sent chills down their spines.
"With her Innate Supreme Yin Dao Fetus combined with perfected Ultimate Soft Sword Intent, Qingying is now in a half-step Dao state," Yao Ancestor remarked, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Impressive. Shui Yue may have made mistakes, but he certainly raised a fine disciple for our Sacred Land."
Even the half-saints like Yao Ancestor showed approval, though the Sword Saint remained expressionless.
On the battlefield, Lin Qingying stood amidst the storm for a moment before swiftly using Void Shifting to appear directly in front of Bian Ruxue.
Bian Ruxue reacted instantly, her sword qi roaring out like a silver dragon to strike at Lin Qingying.
But the silver dragon passed through Lin Qingying's body, and Lin Qingying only had to lift her sword slightly, slashing across Bian Ruxue's throat. Bian Ruxue felt a coolness on her neck and touched her fingers to it, finding a trace of blood. The wound had already healed.
But she knew that if her opponent had intended to kill, it wouldn't have been a mere scratch.
Bian Ruxue stood there in a daze, her sword qi dissipating, and the storm gradually died down.
"I lost."
A hint of complexity flickered in her eyes. The moment she had sensed Lin Qingying's perfected sword intent, she had known that winning this battle would be difficult. After all, she lacked a Heaven and Earth Avatar, but she hadn't expected to lose so decisively. Lin Qingying hadn't even used her avatar and had defeated her using only her swordsmanship.
Lin Qingying sheathed her sword without a word and glanced towards the floating seats in the sky.
If it hadn't been for those three paintings, which helped her perfect her sword intent, this battle could have gone quite differently. She might have struggled and the outcome would have been uncertain.
Even with an additional Heaven and Earth Avatar, when faced with a countering sword intent, it wouldn't have made a huge difference.
Noticing Lin Qingying's gaze, Bian Ruxue followed her line of sight and spotted Li Hao sitting quietly. A look of confusion crossed her face, but she didn't dwell on it.
Bian Ruxue had heard stories about Qingying, particularly about her master's disgrace and imprisonment over a decade ago, leaving Qingying without guidance. For the past ten years, she had been left to cultivate on her own.
"Did you comprehend your sword intent by yourself? I'm not your match."
Bian Ruxue paused for a moment before sighing softly. Coming to the Sacred Land had made her realize that there was always someone better, and that the grandeur of the mortal realm paled in comparison to the brilliance here.
Lin Qingying withdrew her gaze and responded calmly, "Someone practiced swords with me, so I wouldn't say I figured it out on my own."
Someone practiced with her? Bian Ruxue's eyes flickered. At their level, most of their training was done alone, or with guidance from their master. To have someone of equal level to spar with regularly was rare.
Bian Ruxue didn't pry further about who this person was. It was private business, after all.
However, her words triggered a memory in Bian Ruxue's mind, reminding her of a time in a courtyard, long ago.
It had been a long, long time since anyone had practiced swords with her.
Would that person still spar with her if she returned to the mortal realm?
Bian Ruxue shook her head slightly. By now, they were on entirely different paths. The childhood games they once played together had long since faded into the past.
Retracting her thoughts, she saw that Lin Qingying had already descended from the stage, and so she quietly returned to the Sacred Platform.
As the two returned, the other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters began to reflect, comparing the strength they had just witnessed with their own abilities.
Zhanlong Holy Son wore a sour expression. Earlier, he had hoped for a rematch against Lin Qingying to redeem his previous loss, but after witnessing this battle, he realized it was better that he hadn't been matched against her today. Otherwise, the embarrassment would have been even greater.
Losing once could be brushed off as a fluke, but losing twice would be too definitive.
And this time, the defeat would come even quicker.
With her perfected sword intent and her Dao Fetus in perfect harmony, Lin Qingying had reached a level that felt almost invincible.
Lin Qingying could feel the eyes of others on her, but her expression remained calm and indifferent. She knew that after this battle, she would be viewed as a formidable rival by many.
But the path of the strong was never afraid of cold winds or harsh challenges.
...
"Qingying won!"
"That was amazing! What was that? The blizzard of sword qi couldn't even touch her!"
Lin Shanhai and the other alchemists were filled with joy and excitement.
Though Bian Ruxue was younger, the fact that she was the Sword Saint's personal disciple made her a formidable opponent that no one could underestimate.
And Bian Ruxue had indeed demonstrated incredible abilities, but Lin Qingying seemed to have surpassed her on an entirely different level, securing an overwhelming victory.
The alchemists cheered, congratulating Lin Shanhai.
Li Hao sat quietly to the side, his expression calm. He hadn't expected the two of them to face off in the first round, but now it all felt like just another routine battle. It didn't matter who fought whom; it was all the same.
Victory and defeat were commonplace. If you lost, it just meant you needed to practice more.
"Holy Daughter Xue'er lost. As expected, she's still too young!"
"She's already incredibly strong! At 27, to have reached this level... When we were 27, we were still stuck in the Dao Law Realm."
"What? You reached the Dao Law Realm at 27? I was still in the Four Directions Realm at that age."
"Don't talk to me about that. My cousin was still in the Three Immortal Realm at 27."
"..."
There was plenty of chatter among the audience. This was the first time they had seen the youngest Holy Daughter in action, and even though she lost, many recognized her formidable strength.
Lin Qingying, however, had left everyone in awe. Many of the top inner sect talents were left feeling bitter, as they finally realized what kind of monsters these Holy Sons and Holy Daughters were. Aside from Hao Yue Holy Son, there was now also a Holy Daughter who had perfected her sword intent.
That final technique of hers, in particular, seemed almost unbeatable. If any of them had faced her, they would've had no choice but to admit defeat.
With this victory, Lin Qingying advanced to the top eight, while Bian Ruxue was relegated to the losers' bracket, where she would have to fight her way back to claim one of the last two spots in the top ten, making her path much harder.
Soon, a new round of battles began.
This time, two evenly matched Holy Sons faced off, and the fight was fierce and prolonged. Their constant use of their Five Extremes captivated the audience, making it the most exciting match yet, even more so than the previous two.
After all, the previous two matches had been clear-cut, with one side overwhelmingly stronger than the other, which made them less intense.
By the end of the battle, the stage had been turned into a crater, with one of the Holy Sons lying unconscious in a pool of blood, while the other was also gravely injured, his battle body nearly shattered.
Such brutal combat left the audience trembling. This was what it meant to witness a clash between Sacred Disciples.
Li Hao continued to watch in silence, taking in all the secret techniques taught to the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters by their masters. These techniques were not part of the sword techniques stored in the Sword Tower, as they were the personal creations of the half-saints.
Though Li Hao had now recorded these techniques on his panel, he knew not to use them recklessly, as secretly learning them was a serious taboo.
However, once these techniques were integrated into his panel, they could be merged with other insights to develop new techniques. Even if he used them, they would differ from the originals, so he wasn't worried about being discovered.
Moreover, these techniques would allow him to add several more layers to his Dao Domain.
After the intense competition, there were three days of rest.
Next would be the battles in the losers' bracket, where eight competitors would fight for two spots in the top ten, followed by the ten strongest facing off in the finals.
After observing today's matches, Li Hao felt that as long as Lin Qingying performed well, she should have no problem finishing in the top three.
Aside from Hao Yue Holy Son, another threat was Linghuan Holy Son, who had also perfected his sword intent and was incredibly powerful.
His Illusion Sword technique had, of course, been recorded on Li Hao's panel as well, and after reaching the highest level of comprehension, Li Hao had fully grasped it.
This sword intent had been integrated into Li Hao's Sole Master Sword Intent, making it even sharper.
During the three days of rest, while Lin Qingying continued to meditate on her swordsmanship in the courtyard, Li Hao noticed that she seemed overly tense.
"You should take a break these next few days. Relax a little."
Li Hao saw that, aside from eating and drinking, she spent most of her time holding her sword. It seemed even more intense than his own dedication to chess.
Lin Qingying opened her eyes, noticing that Li Hao seemed to be heading out, and for the first time, she asked, "Where are you going?"
Although Li Hao often left the courtyard, she had never asked him this question before.
"I'm heading to the Sword Tower to fish with someone. Want to come along?" Li Hao asked with a smile.
Lin Qingying was surprised. The Sword Tower was an important place, after all.
She thought for a moment before standing up and saying, "Alright, I'll accompany you for a stroll."
Li Hao was a bit taken aback, as he had casually extended the invitation without expecting her to accept.
"Alright then, let's go." Li Hao smiled. Practicing swords constantly could lead to bottlenecks, but taking breaks could actually help improve one's cultivation, much like how he would alternate between playing chess and painting. Otherwise, focusing on just one thing could make one overlook the other beautiful aspects of life.
Sometimes, observing different sceneries could spark new insights and ideas.
With that, Li Hao took off into the air, leading the way.
Lin Qingying followed behind, a curious expression on her face. Li Hao had only been in the Sacred Land for a year, yet he acted as if he was a regular visitor, completely at ease.
In contrast, even though she had been cultivating in the Sacred Land for many years, she had never seen the entire place. Most of her time was spent eating, drinking, and practicing swords, staying within the confines of her courtyard.
Soon, Li Hao led Lin Qingying to the Sacred Mountain. Along the way, many disciples recognized Lin Qingying and couldn't help but exclaim in awe.
Li Hao sighed inwardly. Having a Holy Daughter by his side was like escorting a celebrity—it drew far too much attention.
Fortunately, in the restricted area of the Sword Tower, the disciples didn't dare linger, keeping the surroundings peaceful.
The Sword Attendant noticed Li Hao's arrival and glanced at Lin Qingying, looking a bit surprised. "And this is...?"
Lin Qingying recognized the Sword Attendant. When she had come to the Sword Tower to select sword techniques, she learned that this man was one of the Sword Lord's disciples, a top expert in the Dao Law Realm. Even the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters might not be able to defeat him.
After all, he was a Sacred Disciple from the previous generation. Now, hundreds of years older, his cultivation was naturally far superior.
"Just here to fish, and I brought her along for a stroll," Li Hao said with a smile.
The Sword Attendant glanced at Lin Qingying. Though her expression was calm, her gaze shifted slightly as if she felt a little uneasy.
The Sword Attendant chuckled softly. "Very well, go ahead. The Sword Lord has been waiting for you. He even said that fishing without you isn't as fun anymore."
Li Hao laughed inwardly. Although he and the Sword Lord fished quietly most of the time, there was a certain competitiveness when they hooked fish, and going back to fishing alone really did feel like something was missing.
After exchanging greetings, Li Hao led Lin Qingying through the bamboo forest around the Sword Tower and toward the Sword Cliff.
Lin Qingying followed behind, both curious and surprised. Was he really fishing with the Sword Lord?
Moreover, from the looks of it, he seemed very familiar with the area. Could it be that during all his outings, he had been coming here?
Lin Qingying's thoughts grew more curious. The Sword Lord was a saintly figure, revered by many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters. Li Hao had only been in the Sacred Land for a year, yet he seemed to have established a close relationship with the Sword Lord. It was quite incredible.
Before long, they arrived at the Sword Cliff, where they saw not only the Sword Lord but also Qiu Wuhen.
Lin Qingying's gaze sharpened as she recognized Qiu Wuhen.
"Senior Sword Lord," Li Hao greeted as he stepped forward and bowed.
The Sword Lord turned his head slightly, noticing Li Hao, and then glanced at Lin Qingying. His eyebrows raised a little as he asked, "Has this young lady come to fish as well?"
Feeling the Sword Lord's gaze upon her, Lin Qingying's body tensed slightly, a sense of indescribable pressure making her hair stand on end. She immediately bowed in respect.
Upon hearing his question, she shook her head slightly. "I just came along with him for a look. I didn't expect to meet you, Senior Sword Lord."
"Just observing, hmm? Very well, then."
The Sword Lord didn't press further after hearing her response.
Qiu Wuhen, however, looked over at Lin Qingying and gave her a small nod before saying, "I saw your match. Your perfected sword intent is impressive!"
"I saw your match too. Your Thousand Threads Sword is also impressive," Lin Qingying responded.
Qiu Wuhen's lips twitched slightly. That match had ended in his crushing defeat at the hands of Hao Yue Holy Son.
Li Hao couldn't help but shake his head. Was that really how people exchanged polite compliments?
"Come, sit." Li Hao gestured for Lin Qingying to join him by the cliffside, where he settled into his usual spot and extended his energy into a fishing line, casting it into the depths of the Sword Cliff.
Lin Qingying watched the three of them fish with a curious expression. Was there really a point to this?
She glanced at the Sword Lord. For him, this might be a hobby, and the same could be true for Li Hao. But Qiu Wuhen...
"Are you using this to comprehend swordsmanship?" Lin Qingying asked, quickly deducing his purpose.
Qiu Wuhen nodded slightly. "Indeed."
Lin Qingying's eyes filled with thought.
Li Hao smiled and said to her, "Your Ultimate Soft Sword Intent is also well-suited for fishing. You could sense the water's subtle movements and judge whether a fish is biting. You should give it a try."
The Sword Lord chuckled and scolded lightly, "You rascal!"
It was clear that the Sword Lord was saying, "You're trying to lead others astray."
Li Hao scratched his head awkwardly. He was only speaking the truth.
Lin Qingying, however, simply shook her head. She wasn't interested in fishing.
But she didn't leave either. Instead, she quietly sat by Li Hao's side, enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
Not long after, Li Hao had a bite.
Lin Qingying watched as he reeled in a true dragon and couldn't help but be surprised.
"It's you again."
Li Hao looked at the familiar figure of the dragon monster, Ao Jie, and scolded jokingly.
Ao Jie was equally stunned, quickly begging for mercy.
The two had practically become old acquaintances by this point.
Li Hao sighed and released it back into the depths.
Hearing the dragon monster speak, Lin Qingying realized that Li Hao had indeed become a regular here. Her gaze lingered on his profile, and for some reason, she recalled the day she found him lying injured in a deep crater...
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, and she quickly averted her gaze.
As the sun set, Li Hao bid farewell to the Sword Lord and Qiu Wuhen before leading Lin Qingying back to the Alchemy Court.
For the next two days, Lin Qingying refrained from practicing swords, choosing instead to accompany Li Hao to fish each day.
Qiu Wuhen, however, didn't join them, presumably going into seclusion to prepare for his upcoming match in the losers' bracket.
On the third day, as Lin Qingying watched the water ripple within the deep pool at the base of the cliff, her thoughts drifted far away.
The Sword Lord engaged in idle conversation, but now and then, his words seemed to carry subtle Dao insights. Unintentionally or not, he imparted a few hints about the next level beyond perfected Ultimate Soft Sword Intent, giving Lin Qingying a glimpse of what lay ahead.
However, she realized that this path was still far away, with only the faintest hint of direction.
On the fourth day, Lin Qingying left to observe the battles in the losers' bracket, while Li Hao remained at the Sword Cliff, continuing to fish.
For him, fishing was cultivation.
"Today's battle must be going on. Why aren't you watching?" the Sword Lord asked, surprised to see Li Hao return.
Li Hao smiled. "I've seen enough already."
"Are you bored, or do you just not understand what you're watching?" the Sword Lord teased, his sharp eyes seeming to see through Li Hao's thoughts.
Since learning that Li Hao was only 28 years old yet had cultivated 97 layers of the Dao Domain, the Sword Lord had come to understand just how extraordinary Li Hao's talent was. Even among the Holy Sons, he was a top-tier genius.
"I guess I just don't understand..." Li Hao scratched his head with a grin.
Saying that he was bored would sound a bit arrogant, especially given that those battles involved some of the finest talents nurtured by the Sacred Land.
The Sword Lord rolled his eyes at him. "If you don't understand, that's all the more reason to watch. Why would you waste time fishing here instead?"
Li Hao chuckled awkwardly. He found it hard to explain. Watching those battles didn't excite him, whereas fishing brought him a strange sense of fulfillment.
For all the Sword Lord's years of being a saint, he had never encountered someone quite like Li Hao.
Qiu Wuhen fished here to comprehend swordsmanship, while Li Hao seemed to have no such intentions. He fished simply because he enjoyed it.
When Qiu Wuhen hooked a fish, his expression remained as cold as ever, as though he were pulling up a stone.
But when Li Hao hooked a fish, his excitement was visible to the naked eye.
This was the kind of emotion only a true fishing enthusiast could understand.
"If you're concerned about offending anyone by watching the battles, you shouldn't be. Sooner or later, they'll be competing against the other two Sacred Lands, and eventually, the geniuses of the Thirty-Three Heavens. If they can't handle being watched and studied, they deserve to lose."
The Sword Lord's voice was calm.
Li Hao nodded. The Sword Deity Battles were meant to determine the strongest talents within the Sacred Land, who would then go on to compete with the other two Sacred Lands and the rest of the Thirty-Three Heavens for the title of the strongest.
Seeing that Li Hao remained unmoved, the Sword Lord didn't press further. He had already come to regard Li Hao as an extraordinary talent from another Sacred Sect, someone who would eventually face off against their Holy Sons in the Thirty-Three Heavens tournament. He admired Li Hao's pride in choosing not to spy on potential future rivals.
After half a day of fishing, Li Hao had caught Ao Jie several more times. Repeatedly catching the same dragon monster yielded diminishing returns in terms of fishing experience, and Li Hao sighed in frustration.
Finally, he reeled in his line and turned to the Sword Lord.
"Senior, may I paint a portrait of you?"
The Sword Lord raised an eyebrow in surprise but quickly recalled the renowned Sword Deity Battle Painting that Li Hao had created. With a smile, he nodded and said, "If you wish to paint, go ahead."
Li Hao's heart leapt with joy. He immediately retrieved his drawing board from his personal space and began sketching beside the Sword Cliff.
The sound of the waterfall crashing down, the Sword Lord sitting quietly on the edge of the cliff in his straw hat, and the deep, gleaming sword scar etched into the cliff opposite—Li Hao took it all in, capturing every detail in his painting.
However, as he attempted to depict the Sword Lord, he truly understood the difficulty of painting someone of his caliber. It was entirely different from painting anyone else.
With a serious expression, Li Hao observed the Sword Lord carefully. But the more he looked, the more he realized that the Sword Lord was shrouded in an enigmatic mist. Observing him for a painting was a completely different experience from merely looking at him.
Li Hao needed to capture the essence of the Sword Lord, but that essence was as elusive as a dragon, constantly shifting and impossible to grasp.
Just as Li Hao felt himself getting closer to understanding it, a sharp, buzzing sword qi exploded in his ears.
The Sword Lord's expression shifted slightly, surprised that his own concealed sword Dao seemed to have been sensed by the young artist.
"Are you alright?" the Sword Lord asked, glancing at Li Hao.
To his surprise, he saw golden blood streaming from Li Hao's eyes, as though his vision had been sliced open.
From Li Hao's eyes, the Sword Lord could sense a faint trace of sword intent—his own sword Dao had been reflected into Li Hao's eyes, slashing them apart.
This had not been intentional. The Sword Lord raised his hand, intending to retract the sword force. If it remained in Li Hao's eyes any longer, they wouldn't be able to heal.
"Senior, don't worry. I'm painting," Li Hao said, sensing the Sword Lord's actions and stopping him.
The Sword Lord hesitated, gazing deeply at Li Hao. In that moment, he understood why Li Hao had painted the Sword Deity Battle so brilliantly.
Li Hao wasn't a sword fanatic—he was a painting fanatic!
His dedication to painting surpassed even the obsession that many Holy Sons had for their swordsmanship.
The Sword Lord observed Li Hao for a moment longer. It was hard to believe that someone who poured so much passion into painting and fishing could have also reached 97 layers of the Dao Domain by the age of 28.
This level of talent was monstrous, even for a reincarnated saint.
As Li Hao's eyes continued to bleed, he didn't stop painting.
He was painting with his heart.
As time passed, the outline of the painting became clearer, and the Sword Lord's side profile gradually took on its essence.
At first glance, it appeared to be the image of an old man sitting at the edge of the cliff. But upon closer inspection, it resembled a towering, razor-sharp sword.
Looking once more, it was still an old man.
When the painting was finally complete, the sword force that had reflected into Li Hao's eyes was transferred into the painting itself.
As the painting took shape, Li Hao's eyes began to heal and regenerate.
At the same time, a notification appeared before him:
[Painting Dao Experience +372742]
[Eighth Stage Painting Dao Experience Maxed]
[Congratulations! You have comprehended the Heart of Painting Dao. Your Painting Dao has ascended to the Ninth Stage.]