Chapter 329: A Single Sword
In the silence that followed, countless eyes widened as they stared at the figure on the battlefield, holding a blue sword.
One after another, astonished and shocked gazes all focused on the young man.
Jiang Yingyue was stunned, and so were Lin Shanhai and many other alchemists who knew Li Hao. They couldn't believe what they had just witnessed.
On the high platform, Yao Ancestor was momentarily dazed. Her eyes were somewhat unfocused, but she quickly snapped back to reality. That sword was no longer just sword intent—it was sword Dao.
The youth's swordsmanship had already reached the divine realm, transcending to the Dao of the sword.
No wonder he was able to effortlessly master the Great Dao Sword Technique in just ten days.
Yao Ancestor gazed at the figure thoughtfully. The boy was an alchemist, yet he possessed such an astonishing level of skill in the sword. It was clear that he was no ordinary alchemist.
Aside from Yao Ancestor, the five other elders, including Mountain Ancestor, all wore expressions of shock and awe. This dazzling sword Dao revealed that the boy's swordsmanship had already entered the Dao!
In terms of pure swordsmanship, the youth standing before them was already on par with them.
The only difference lay in the strength of their sword Dao.
And the gap between them and the Sword Saint was precisely that difference.
All of them had entered the sword Dao, but they had chosen different paths, each with its own difficulty.
Just as Holy Son Haoyue had mentioned before, lesser paths paled in comparison to the greater ones. The Sun and Moon Sword Dao was undoubtedly one of the most supreme sword paths.
On the other hand, the Gentle Sword Dao and the Thousand Strands Sword Dao seemed dim in comparison.
The Sword Saint, who had been quietly seated, suddenly narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the youth on the platform.
He suddenly recalled that the person he had seen carving and observing him in the courtyard was the very same individual.
"You..."
Lin Qingying stared blankly at the split clouds and the cracked battlefield, lost in thought.
Was this... his swordsmanship?
In that moment, Lin Qingying suddenly understood why he had been able to guide her with his painting technique.
She also realized why she had never seen Li Hao actively training. With swordsmanship like this, he had already reached the pinnacle. Ordinary cultivation methods would no longer bring him any progress.
"Are you a swordsman?" Lin Qingying asked, her voice dazed. It was hard to believe that, after spending so much time with him, she had never seen Li Hao wield a sword. Instead, she had only seen him refining herbs, painting, carving, or playing chess—yet he turned out to be a swordsman?!
"More or less," Li Hao replied, glancing at her.
Lin Qingying's expression grew complicated. Over the past days, she had openly practiced her swordsmanship in front of him without hesitation. If she had known he was a swordsman, she would never have done so. It was a major taboo for a swordsman to expose their techniques to another swordsman.
"Well, then your swordsmanship is worthy of my sword. At least now it has a rightful owner," she muttered quietly, her gaze dimming.
"This is your swordsmanship," Li Hao said, looking at her with a steady gaze. Her mind had been too deeply influenced by the Sun and Moon Sword Intent, and her swordsmanship had declined drastically, to the point where she couldn't even recognize her own sword Dao.
"My swordsmanship?" Lin Qingying was taken aback, then looked down at the cracks on the battlefield. Was this truly her swordsmanship?
At that moment, Holy Son Haoyue slowly turned around. The once indifferent expression on his face had turned icy cold, and a fierce, blazing killing intent flickered in his eyes.
The close brush with death from Li Hao's previous sword strike had made his hair stand on end. He had felt a chilling terror, and that sensation had shaken his sword Dao. The fact that his opponent had disturbed his sword Dao was something he could not tolerate!
"So, this is where your confidence to challenge me with a sword comes from?" Holy Son Haoyue's entire body radiated divine light, but his eyes remained icy cold. "Very well. I accept your challenge!"
Upon hearing Holy Son Haoyue's words, the crowd erupted in gasps. Holy Son Haoyue was actually going to face him in a sword duel?
But at this moment, no one questioned it. The sword strike that had seemed to cleave the heavens had already made it clear that this Qingfeng Alchemist was no ordinary person. Or rather, he should now be called Qingfeng Swordsman!
Lin Qingying's expression changed when she heard Holy Son Haoyue's words. She looked at Li Hao with concern and said, "Not only is his swordsmanship strong, but his physical strength is immense. Be careful. I'll step back so I don't get in your way."
By now, she had already realized that Li Hao was no simple swordsman.
"No need," Li Hao shook his head, refusing to let her leave.
This sword was for her. He intended to shatter the Sun and Moon Sword Intent within her and help her rebuild her sword heart and sword intent!
Lin Qingying was puzzled and stared at Li Hao in confusion.
"One sword is enough to deal with him," Li Hao said softly, "Just watch."
Lin Qingying stood there, momentarily dazed.
If he had said this earlier, she would have thought he was mad. As an alchemist, he probably couldn't comprehend how powerful Holy Son Haoyue truly was. But now, after seeing Li Hao's display of swordsmanship, she knew he wasn't speaking lightly. His words carried weight.
As Li Hao's words echoed across the battlefield, the crowd erupted into an uproar.
How could anyone dare to utter such arrogant words in front of Holy Son Haoyue, the acknowledged strongest among the young generation of the Sacred Land?
Could it be that Li Hao truly believed he could defeat Holy Son Haoyue with just one sword?
On the sacred platform, the Holy Sons and Daughters, including Qiu Wuhen and Bian Ruxue, were equally stunned.
Li Hao's sword strike had been far too shocking. It had completely transcended their level of swordsmanship, for his sword had already entered the Dao!
Qiu Wuhen's face was full of disbelief. The boy who had fished alongside him at the Sword Master's residence was actually a swordsman!
During their fishing sessions, Li Hao had always been gleeful when he caught a fish, never showing any indication that he was using fishing as a way to practice his swordsmanship.
But now, the sword Dao that Li Hao had revealed was far beyond his own.
The gap between sword intent and sword Dao seemed like a small step, but in reality, it was a vast chasm.
Without enlightenment, one could remain at the door for a lifetime, wasting years in vain.
But once enlightened, one could cross that threshold in a single step, entering the hall of saints, transcending the ordinary, and becoming something greater.
Bian Ruxue's eyes were dazed, as if she had caught a glimpse of the ultimate sword she had always sought.
Had someone already reached that level?
On the battlefield, Holy Son Haoyue also heard Li Hao's unapologetic words. A cold fury flickered in his eyes.
But he restrained himself, coldly saying, "Since you're so confident, let me see if you can live up to your words. Don't disappoint me!"
As he spoke, his aura surged, and the Heaven and Earth Meridians appeared behind him like a towering vortex.
Divine power exploded from his body, and his hair turned a radiant golden color.
His primordial spirit merged with his physical body, and at the same time, a towering Heaven and Earth Dharma Form emerged.
This was the first time he had revealed his Heaven and Earth Dharma Form, but Li Hao's previous sword strike had been close enough to warrant this level of seriousness!
In this sword duel, he had to restore his sword Dao. He could only win, not lose!
He believed his master, the Sword Saint, had also seen this, which was why he had not intervened and had not questioned Li Hao's identity.
As his extreme powers were displayed, his 49-layer Dao Domain became visible again, but this time, it extended to 56 layers!
It turned out that even in the previous battles, Holy Son Haoyue had been holding back!
This scene left many people stunned. In this critical moment of the duel, no one had managed to push Holy Son Haoyue to use his full strength. He truly deserved the title of Sword God, the difference between him and others was like a massive gap!
Outside the battlefield, a formation had quietly appeared again.
It was a formation condensed by a semi-saint, strong enough to withstand Holy Son Haoyue's attacks.
Lin Qingying stood beside Li Hao, but the wind and sand seemed to swirl around her. All the chaotic energies gathered at the front, and just standing there, she felt an unprecedented sense of oppression.
She looked up at the extraordinary figure hovering in the air. He had dominated the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land, suppressing millions of disciples, earning the title of an unrivaled prodigy. Now, his magnificent brilliance was on full display.
Her gaze fell back on Li Hao, only to find him standing quietly, holding the blue sword in his hand, completely unmoved by everything around him.
"Sun and Moon Sword Intent, illuminating heaven and earth!!"
Holy Son Haoyue's eyes, like golden wheels of the sun and moon, burst forth with divine light as he let out a long roar. The clouds and moon above the battlefield split apart, and both the sun and moon seemed to appear simultaneously.
His body merged with the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form, towering over a hundred feet like a giant peak.
In his hand, he condensed the brilliance of the sun and moon into a sword. The majestic sword intent caused even the disciples outside the formation to feel overwhelmed and in awe.
On the sacred platform, the Holy Sons and Daughters all turned pale, their eyes filled with dread and shock.
He was too powerful. Though they were all Holy Sons, Holy Son Haoyue had already left them far behind!
With such sword intent, if he entered the Dao, his Sun and Moon Great Dao would be among the strongest even among the semi-saints.
The boundless radiance and power converged. In the next moment, Holy Son Haoyue's Dharma Form, like a god of wrath, slashed down at Li Hao.
The sword light illuminated the heavens and earth, carrying the oppressive force of the sun, moon, and stars. It seemed as though it would cleave the entire battlefield in two!
Facing the Sun and Moon Sword Intent again, Lin Qingying's pupils shrank, and her eyes filled with fear. The chaotic Sun and Moon Sword Intent in her mind became even more intense, overwhelming her sea of consciousness and instilling a sense of helplessness.
It was the shadow of a lifetime, an indelible imprint left by the other's sword intent. No matter what realm she reached, whenever she encountered this sword intent, fear would rise in her heart!
She clenched her fists tightly, biting her lip until it bled, yet she stood firm without flinching.
As the godlike sword descended, a gentle breeze seemed to stir.
"The softest thing under heaven can ride upon the hardest."
A soft voice echoed as Li Hao raised the sword in his hand, his gaze briefly passing over a message on his status panel indicating an increase in his poetry experience.
The blue sword in his hand suddenly radiated a dazzling sword light. That sword light was like thunder, like lightning, and also like a breeze sweeping across the world.
The breeze rose, and the blue sword met the descending godly sword. It was as if an immortal was gently pointing the way with a light touch.
With just three feet of sword, he faced the mighty sword light of the Dharma Form, as if a gnat were trying to topple a tree, an act of pure audacity.
Boom!
The seemingly unstoppable Sun and Moon Divine Sword suddenly came to a halt, and then, in the next moment, it shattered into countless pieces, like dust scattering in the wind!
The breeze continued, flowing along the remnants of the shattered divine sword and entering the towering Dharma Form.
Holy Son Haoyue, standing before the Dharma Form's chest, suddenly felt a gentle sword intent brushing against him. It wasn't filled with killing intent, nor was it sharp or fierce—it was as soft as the wind, impossible to grasp, impossible to detect.
His eyes flashed with fury as he roared, attempting to suppress it with his Dao Domain.
But the gentle sword intent drifted through the layers of his Dao Domain, gently caressing his neck.
A small cut appeared, and blood began to ooze out.
The wound refused to heal, the residual sword Dao preventing it from closing!
Holy Son Haoyue's body shook, his pupils contracting to the extreme, filled with shock and disbelief.
He reached up to touch his neck. The wound was small, but the humiliation it carried was enormous.
There was no doubt—he had lost this sword duel.
"How... how is this possible?!"
Holy Son Haoyue could not believe it. His sword Dao, which governed the heavens and earth and was rooted in the sun and moon, was as solid as a rock. How could he have lost?
On the sacred platform, the Holy Sons and Daughters were also dumbfounded. The wound on Holy Son Haoyue's neck was not large, but it was clear for all to see. The seemingly gentle and weak sword strike had pierced through his Dao Domain and struck him directly.
Was this the power of swordsmanship that had entered the Dao?
Yao Ancestor and the other semi-saints wore grave expressions. They realized that Li Hao's swordsmanship had not only entered the Dao, but this Gentle Sword Dao was far stronger and more terrifying than they had anticipated.
None of them had entered the Dao using the Gentle Sword Technique.
The level of swordsmanship varied greatly, and only through a duel could one determine who was superior.
Li Hao glanced at Holy Son Haoyue but paid no mind to his shocked and furious expression. Instead, he turned to look at Lin Qingying.
This sword duel had not been for the sake of competition. Rather, it had been a demonstration for Lin Qingying.
Lin Qingying stood there in a daze. In her mind, the Sun and Moon Sword Intent had been shattered by the gentle breeze of Li Hao's sword. That breeze and the flash of sword light had etched themselves into her heart.
This was the Gentle Sword Dao.
As long as she followed that imprint, she would eventually master this sword Dao.
The fragmented pieces of her sword intent had begun to reassemble.
Her eyes were filled with both confusion and enlightenment. Was this... true gentleness?
"True softness is true strength, and the weakest is the strongest."
Li Hao whispered softly, "When softness reaches its peak, it is not water, nor is it wind. It is atoms."
"Atoms?"
Lin Qingying was stunned, her eyes filled with bewilderment. It was a word she had never heard before.
Li Hao knew that, given the understanding of this world, it was difficult to explain. But those who practiced the Gentle Sword Dao might eventually reach this level of comprehension, even if they used different terms. It could be called the path of the microcosm.
"Grains of sand can form mountains, mountains and rivers form the world. But what forms the grains of sand? What makes up water? What makes up wind?"
Li Hao spoke softly, both asking and guiding.
Lin Qingying was taken aback, her mind filled with contemplation. She began to understand what Li Hao was implying, and the realization shook her to her core.
Was this truly the Gentle Sword Dao?
If the foundation of all things was the key, then even the vastness of the sun and moon was composed of the tiniest elements.
In that case, the Gentle Sword Dao wasn't a minor path at all. In fact, it was an incredibly formidable great Dao!
As this realization dawned on her, Lin Qingying's heart trembled. She even felt that if she could fully comprehend this, her path might surpass even that of the Sword Saint's Myriad Souls Sword Dao.
At that moment, she understood why Li Hao had been able to use such an effortless sword strike to shatter the seemingly invincible Sun and Moon Divine Sword.
At the most microscopic level, there were countless flaws and imperfections in Holy Son Haoyue's sword Dao. These were all the traces that Li Hao's swordsmanship had followed!
"So this is... my sword Dao?"
Lin Qingying murmured in a daze. Suddenly, she recalled something and looked at Li Hao in shock.
"If this is my sword Dao, then have you also mastered the Gentle Sword Intent? Or..."
Her voice trembled slightly, and she didn't dare to continue.
If Li Hao had merely demonstrated her own sword Dao for her to see, then that meant he had a sword Dao of his own.
Mastering two sword Daos!
If his performance of her sword Dao was already this terrifying, then how strong was Li Hao's own sword Dao?
As the two spoke, Holy Son Haoyue's face twisted in fury. Li Hao had just dueled him in a sword match, yet now he was ignoring him, focusing instead on helping Lin Qingying rebuild her sword Dao.
This blatant disregard infuriated him.
"Fight me with your own sword Dao!"
He roared in a low, angry voice.
Li Hao looked at him calmly and said, "You are not worthy of seeing my sword Dao."
Holy Son Haoyue's face twitched as if he had been slapped, a deep sense of anger mixed with helplessness.
He knew that just based on Li Hao's display of swordsmanship, he couldn't possibly win.
He had lost this battle, and the Sun and Moon Sword Dao, which had just made a breakthrough, now had cracks in it. The frustration made him feel as though his mind was crumbling.
"Hiding behind others—what kind of skill is that? You've mastered such a sword Dao, but you masquerade as an alchemist. Who are you really, and why have you infiltrated the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land?"
Holy Son Haoyue's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he stared daggers at Li Hao.
He hadn't questioned Li Hao earlier because he wanted to defeat him first and then interrogate him. But now that his sword Dao had faltered, he only wanted to crush Li Hao.
Hearing his words, Lin Qingying snapped out of her daze, her expression changing drastically.
She suddenly realized that if Li Hao possessed such extraordinary swordsmanship, then he was no ordinary person. The enemies who had hunted him down and severely injured him were likely incredibly powerful, perhaps even close to semi-saints.
By revealing his swordsmanship to protect her, Li Hao had exposed himself to great danger and would likely face severe consequences.
Thinking of this, her face grew pale, and she quickly stepped forward to shield Li Hao.
"Qingfeng was wounded and taken in by me at the Sacred Land. He has been recovering and has no intention of infiltrating the Sacred Land. He has done nothing to harm us."
Holy Son Haoyue sneered, "How do you know he wasn't injured on purpose to get close to you? You've merely been used, and now, conveniently during the Sword God Tournament, he's here, watching our sword matches and learning our techniques. And how do you explain him knowing your sword Dao? Teaching our swordsmanship to outsiders is a grave crime!"
Lin Qingying's face paled. She hadn't taught Li Hao her sword techniques, but if Li Hao was indeed a swordsman, then practicing her swordsmanship in front of him could be seen as a form of transmission.
"An accusation is easy to make. You lost the duel, so now you're desperate," Li Hao replied calmly.
When Li Hao had stepped forward to defend Lin Qingying, he had already anticipated this outcome and the consequences that would follow.
But he had no regrets. Repaying kindness and seeking revenge were part of his nature. To betray that would mean losing himself.
He would sacrifice anything to seek vengeance, so why not to repay a favor?
Holy Son Haoyue's face twitched with suppressed rage. He clenched his jaw tightly to avoid losing his composure.
"When my Sun and Moon Sword Dao enters the Dao, I may still have the power to defeat you. It's just a minor path. Give me ten years, and I will surely enter the Dao!"
There was a cold, murderous glint in his eyes. There were many people stronger than him, such as the semi-saint elders and the Sacred Land's former top prodigies. He could accept being weaker than them because they had cultivated for much longer than he had.
But give him another hundred years, and he would surely surpass them.
Li Hao knew that these words were meant to reinforce Holy Son Haoyue's sword Dao and mindset. He couldn't be bothered to argue further. He could have shattered Holy Son Haoyue's sword intent and left a mark in his sea of consciousness, just as the latter had done to Lin Qingying.
But Li Hao knew it was pointless. With the Sword Saint as his master, Holy Son Haoyue could easily have that sword intent removed.
The battle was already over, and the outcome was clear. Seeing that Holy Son Haoyue had truly been defeated, the crowd was in stunned silence, unable to believe what had happened.
The Sword Ancestor Sacred Land's strongest young prodigy had been defeated in a sword duel. Who was this mysterious swordsman?
Yao Ancestor withdrew her gaze from Li Hao, her eyes flickering with thought. She looked at the Sword Saint. His prized disciple had not only been defeated but had also suffered a setback in his sword Dao, which would require the Sword Saint's intervention to repair. What would he do next?
She remembered the painting and the pure, innocent look in the youth's eyes. With a soft sigh, her voice, as gentle as celestial music, rang out:
"Qingfeng Alchemist, as the Saintess Lin Qingying has mentioned, you were wounded and ended up here. With your strength, you must be a Holy Son of some other Sacred Land, am I right?"
During the duel, Li Hao's sword qi had leaked, revealing his cultivation level. He was at the Realm of Hearing Dao.
With such cultivation and swordsmanship, and his ability to defeat Holy Son Haoyue, it was clear that he wasn't an ordinary person.
Yao Ancestor's words were meant to guide the crowd. A person of Li Hao's strength and stature wouldn't need to infiltrate the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land in such a manner.
Li Hao looked at Yao Ancestor and saw the smile in her eyes. He couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude.
Even after he had given her the painting, she was still willing to speak up for him in this critical moment.
"Yes, I was wounded and ended up here, recovering in the Saintess's courtyard. I never intended to offend the Sacred Land," Li Hao said softly.
Yao Ancestor nodded slightly and smiled, "Now, what do you plan to do? Will you join our Sword Ancestor Sacred Land and become a disciple, or will you return to your own place?"
Sword Master had asked Li Hao the same question before. Initially, Li Hao had planned to stay quietly within the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land, practicing his carving, fishing, chess, and other skills, honing them to perfection. Perhaps one day, he could use one of these skills to become a saint and seek revenge against Xu Sheng.
But now, he knew that such peaceful days were no longer possible.
Wherever there was conflict, there would be trouble, and peace would be unattainable.
"Though I would be honored to join your Sacred Land, I have powerful enemies. If I were to join, it would bring danger to your Sacred Land."
Li Hao cupped his hands respectfully as he spoke.
Yao Ancestor chuckled and said, "Were you being hunted when you came here? With your strength, your enemies must be semi-saints. Even so, our Sword Ancestor Sacred Land can protect you!"
Mountain Ancestor and the other elders looked at Li Hao, understanding Yao Ancestor's intentions. With Li Hao's talent and strength, regardless of his age, he was a prodigious figure. Recruiting him into their Sacred Land would certainly be beneficial.
Li Hao remained silent for a moment. He knew that at this point, some truths needed to be revealed, or he wouldn't be able to explain his situation.
"More than that," he said softly.
"More than that?"
Yao Ancestor's eyes narrowed. "More than one semi-saint?"
Lin Qingying looked at Li Hao in shock. Could it be that more than one semi-saint had been hunting him?
How was that possible? A single semi-saint was already terrifying, but more than one?
Li Hao shook his head and said, "It wasn't semi-saints."
Hearing this, Yao Ancestor's eyes widened slightly, and her pupils contracted. Not semi-saints? Could it be... a saint?
His enemies were saints?
Lin Qingying was equally astonished. Had Li Hao been severely wounded by a saint?
Holy Son Haoyue, still floating in the air, also heard this. His face twisted in shock as he stared at the youth with the sword. Li Hao's enemy was a saint?
The disciples below began to react. Saints were as unreachable as the sun and moon, and hearing their teachings was considered a blessing. Yet Li Hao had provoked a saint and made one his enemy?
Yao Ancestor was silent for a moment, processing this revelation. She knew that Li Hao wouldn't lie about something like this, especially when it concerned a saint.
She sighed inwardly. If his enemy was a saint, then recruiting Li Hao was beyond their authority. They couldn't risk angering a saint.
She looked at the Sword Saint, who was also gazing at Li Hao. He understood that if he were to ask which saint had hunted Li Hao, the young man probably wouldn't answer. Doing so would only expose him further.
And if his enemies included saints, the situation was likely more complicated than it appeared.
Given these circumstances, someone like Li Hao wasn't suited to joining the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land.
Still, if they captured him and handed him over to his enemies, it might not be such a bad thing...
His eyes flickered with thought. As he considered this, a voice suddenly rang out, filling the battlefield.
"He is a disciple of the Supreme Saint, with extraordinary talent. At only 28 years old, he is not someone our Sword Ancestor Sacred Land can accommodate."
As the voice spoke, a figure drifted into view, accompanied by two sword attendants wearing bronze masks.
It was none other than the Sword Master.