Chapter 475

In this silence, countless people widened their eyes, gazing at the figure holding a green blade on the battle stage.

Pair after pair of astonished and shocked gazes converged upon that youth.

Jiang Yingyue was stunned, and many other alchemists familiar with Li Hao, such as Lin Shanhai, were also filled with bewilderment, unable to believe the scene before their eyes.

On the high platform, Elder Yao Zu was frozen; her eyes were slightly dazed, but she quickly regained her senses. This sword strike was no longer mere sword intent, but Sword Dao.

The opponent's swordsmanship had already reached the level of the divine—entering the Dao and connecting with the gods!

No wonder he could easily cultivate the Great Expansion Sword Art to the Nimble Layer within ten days.

Elder Yao Zu stared at that figure. Soon, many thoughts and ideas emerged in her mind. The opponent was an alchemist, yet possessed such an exaggerated attainment in Sword Dao; this meant he was by no means a simple alchemist.

Besides Elder Yao Zu, the five other Elders, including Elder Shan Zu, all wore expressions of shock and strangeness. With such a brilliant Sword Dao, they all saw that the opponent's sword had already entered the Dao! In terms of swordsmanship alone, the youth 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 Master Master Jian Sheng lay precisely in this.

Both had entered the Dao through swordsmanship, but the paths chosen were different, and the difficulty was different.

Just as the Holy Son Haoyue had said earlier, minor Daos cannot compare to major Daos; the Sun-Moon Sword Dao was undoubtedly one of the supreme Sword Daos.

As for the Supreme Soft Sword Dao and the Thousand Threads Sword Dao, they were relatively much dimmer and inferior.

The Master Master Jian Sheng, who sat quietly, suddenly narrowed his eyes, staring at the youth on the stage.

He suddenly recalled that the person he had previously seen sculpting himself in the courtyard and spying on him was the very same person.

"You..."

Lin Qingying looked at the split clouds and the fractured battle stage before her, somewhat dazed and lost.

Was this his swordsmanship? At this moment, Lin Qingying suddenly understood why he could guide her using the Dao of Painting.

She also suddenly understood why she had never seen Li Hao cultivate; such a Sword Dao realm had already reached the peak, and ordinary cultivation could no longer yield any progress.

"Are you a swordsman?"

Lin Qingying was somewhat dazed and incredulous. Having stayed by her side for so long, she had never seen Li Hao hold a sword; instead, he was always enthusiastic about refining medicinal materials, painting, sculpting, and finding people to play chess. As it turned out, Li Hao was actually a swordsman?!

"I suppose so, barely."

Li Hao glanced at her and replied.

Lin Qingying's expression became complex. During these days, she had been practicing her sword in front of him without any avoidance. Had she known he was a swordsman, she definitely would not have done so; after all, that was equivalent to exposing her own sword to another swordsman, which was a great taboo in sword practice.

"That's fine, too. Your swordsmanship matches my sword; it can be considered a famous sword finding its master."

Her expression dimmed again, and she said in a low voice.

"This is your swordsmanship."

Li Hao gazed at her intently. The Sun-Moon sword intent had eroded her heart too deeply, causing her swordsmanship realm to decay severely; she hadn't even been able to recognize her own Sword Dao.

"My swordsmanship?"

Lin Qingying was stunned, then looked at the cracks on the ground. Did her swordsmanship have such power? At this very moment, the Holy Son Haoyue had already slowly turned around, but his previously indifferent and cold expression had now turned grim and icy, with intense, scorching killing intent revealed in his eyes.

That close-range sword strike just now had made his hair stand on end, giving him a bone-chilling feeling. Under the influence of that sensation, his own Sword Dao had actually loosened; the opponent had actually affected his Sword Dao! This was absolutely intolerable!

"Is this the confidence you had to challenge me to a sword duel?"

The Holy Son Haoyue's entire body radiated scorching divine light, but his eyes were icy: "Fine, I accept what you said just now!"

Hearing the words of the Holy Son Haoyue, a gasp went through the crowd below. The Holy Son Haoyue wanted to compete in Sword Dao with the opponent?

But at this moment, no one questioned it anymore. That sword strike that seemed to sever heaven and earth had made many disciples realize that this Alchemist Qingfeng was not simple—or rather, he should be called Swordsman Qingfeng!

Lin Qingying's expression changed slightly upon hearing the Holy Son Haoyue's words, but she gazed at Li Hao and said:

"Besides his swordsmanship realm, his own strength is also very strong. You must be careful. I will go down first, lest I hinder you."

At this moment, she had realized that Li Hao's strength was also by no means simple.

"No need."

Li Hao shook his head, not letting her leave.

This sword was struck for her sake; he wanted to take the opportunity to shatter the Sun-Moon sword intent in her heart and help her recast her sword heart and sword intent! Lin Qingying was stunned, looking at Li Hao in confusion.

"To deal with him, one sword is enough."

Li Hao said softly: "Just watch closely."

Lin Qingying was frozen, somewhat lost.

If it were earlier, she would have thought Li Hao was a madman, as an alchemist unable to see the ferocity and terror of the Holy Son Haoyue. But now, the swordsmanship Li Hao had displayed was enough to show that he was also a swordsman, so he would have a sense of proportion in the battle.

Li Hao's words spread, and the crowd outside was in an uproar.

Facing the Holy Son Haoyue, who had just claimed the name of Sword God and was the strongest among the young generation in the Holy Land, he actually dared to speak such wild words?! Could it be that the opponent truly felt he could defeat the Holy Son Haoyue with a single sword?! On the Holy Platform, Qiu Wuhen, Bian Ruxue, and many other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters were also slightly lost.

The sword strike Li Hao had just swung was too shocking; it was a swordsmanship realm that completely surpassed theirs—the sword had already entered the Dao!

Shock also appeared on Qiu Wuhen's face. He found it hard to believe that this youth, who fished alongside him by the Sword Master, was actually also a swordsman! When fishing on ordinary days, the opponent was always full of joy upon getting a bite; one could never tell he was using fishing to practice the sword.

But now, the Sword Dao realm the opponent displayed far surpassed his own.

Sword intent and Sword Dao seem to be only one step apart, but in reality, they are far apart.

If one has not realized the Dao, one remains outside the door for a lifetime, wasting away the years.

If one realizes the Dao, one step across, and one will enter the hall, transcend the mundane, and become a saint, no longer of the mortal world! Bian Ruxue's eyes were somewhat lost; that brilliant sword strike gave her a dazed feeling of catching a glimpse of the shadow of the ultimate sword.

Was there someone who had already approached the thing she pursued?

On the battle stage, the Holy Son Haoyue also heard Li Hao's undisguised words, and a trace of cold killing intent appeared in his eyes.

But he restrained himself and said coldly: "Since you have such confidence, then let me witness it properly. Don't let me down!"

As he spoke, his aura suddenly climbed, and the Heaven-Earth Veins appeared behind him, like a vortex reaching toward the heavens.

Divine power erupted, and his hair turned a brilliant golden yellow.

Then, his Primordial Spirit merged into his physical body, and at the same time, a towering Heaven-Earth Dharma Form appeared.

This was the first time he had revealed his Heaven-Earth Dharma Form, but Li Hao's close-range sword strike just now was enough to make him this solemn! In this sword duel, he was reclaiming his Sword Dao, so he could only win, not lose! He believed his master should also see this point, so he did not stop him, nor did he go to question Li Hao's identity now.

As many peak realms were revealed, the 49-fold Dao Domain also appeared, but this time, the 49-fold Dao Domain climbed again, stacking up to a 56-fold Dao Domain! In the previous battle, the Holy Son Haoyue was still holding back! This scene left many people shocked; at such a decisive moment, no one could actually force out his strongest power. This name of Sword God was truly well-deserved, and the gap between him and others was simply a chasm!

Outside the battle stage, the magic array did not know when it had condensed again.

This was a magic array condensed by a Half-Saint, enough to withstand the Holy Son Haoyue's attacks.

Lin Qingying stood by Li Hao's side, but the surroundings seemed to be whipped up by wind and sand. The overwhelming energy stirred and converged in front; just standing here, she felt unprecedented pressure.

She looked up at the peerless figure standing in the air. The opponent suppressed the million disciples of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land and could be called a peerless genius, and at this moment, he also revealed a peerless demeanor.

Her gaze fell back onto Li Hao, but she saw Li Hao still standing quietly, holding that green blade, seemingly unmoved by everything before him.

"Sun-Moon Sword Intent, Heaven and Earth Reflected!!"

The Holy Son Haoyue's eyes were like golden wheels of the sun and moon, bursting with dazzling divine light. He suddenly roared toward the sky, and the clouds and moon between heaven and earth separated; the sun and moon seemed to appear simultaneously.

His body merged into the Heaven-Earth Dharma Form, and the hundred-zhang-tall Dharma Form was as towering as a giant peak.

Sun-Moon sword light condensed in his hands, and the brilliant, surging sword intent made all the disciples outside the magic array feel vastness and shock.

On the Holy Platform, many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters all changed color, with deep dread and shock revealed in their eyes.

Too strong; they were all Holy Sons, but the Holy Son Haoyue had already surpassed them too much! With such sword intent, if it entered the Dao, his Sun-Moon Dao would belong to the extremely strong kind among many Half-Saints.

The sky full of brilliance and power all converged. The next moment, the Holy Son Haoyue's Dharma Form was like a furious god, suddenly slashing toward Li Hao.

This sword light reflected heaven and earth, carrying the pressure of the sun, moon, and stars, seeming to want to shatter the entire battle stage!

Facing this Sun-Moon sword intent directly again, Lin Qingying's pupils contracted, and fear appeared in her eyes. The Sun-Moon sword intent in her mind became clearer and more chaotic at this moment, filling her consciousness and making her feel an irresistible urge.

That was a lifelong shadow; it was the opponent branding his sword intent. No matter what realm she was in, as long as she saw this sword intent, she would feel fear!

She clenched her fingers tightly and bit her lip, but she still stood firm, not dodging in fear.

Under this sharp divine sword of divine might, a breeze suddenly seemed to be whipped up.

"The softest thing in the world gallops over the hardest thing in the world!"

A soft whisper sounded, and Li Hao raised the sword in his hand, his gaze passing over the large number of poetry and book experience increase prompts popping up on the panel.

The green blade in his hand suddenly burst into brilliant sword light; that sword light was like a thunderbolt, like lightning, and also like a wind between heaven and earth.

The wind whipped up, and the green blade met it, like an immortal pointing the way, lightly tapping.

With a three-foot sword, he struck the Dharma Form's divine might sword light, like a mayfly shaking a tree, carrying a tiny shock.

With a bang, that seemingly fierce Sun-Moon divine sword suddenly paused, and then it shattered suddenly, exploding into fire like dust!

And that gust of wind swept through, spreading along the divine sword, rushing into that towering Dharma Form.

The Holy Son Haoyue, standing in front of the Dharma Form's chest, suddenly felt a gentle sword intent. There was no killing intent, no sharpness, but it was like the wind, impossible to capture, impossible to distinguish.

Surprise and anger appeared in his eyes, and he roared, using his Dao Domain to suppress it.

But that sword intent was soft and weak, yet it traveled through layers of Dao Domain and blew past his neck.

A trace of a cut appeared, and blood seeped out.

And the wound was slow to heal; the Sword Dao remained, making it impossible to heal!

The Holy Son Haoyue's body shook, his pupils contracted to the extreme, and shock and disbelief appeared in his eyes.

He reached out to touch his neck; the wound was not large, but the insult was even stronger.

Undoubtedly, in this Sword Dao duel, the opponent had won.

"How is this possible?!"

The Holy Son Haoyue was incredulous, unable to understand. His own Sword Dao ruled heaven and earth, based on the sun and moon, and could be called as solid as a rock; how could he lose?!

On the Holy Platform, many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters were also stunned. Although the wound on the Holy Son Haoyue's neck was not large, it was clearly visible. The opponent's seemingly soft and weak sword strike could actually bypass the opponent's Dao Domain and strike him directly? Was this what it meant to have swordsmanship enter the Dao? Elder Yao Zu and several other Half-Saints all had solemn expressions. The opponent not only had swordsmanship enter the Dao, but this Supreme Soft Sword Dao was even stronger and more terrifying than they had imagined.

After all, no one present had used the Supreme Soft Sword Art to enter the Dao.

Sword Dao levels are all different; only after a duel can one distinguish the high from the low. Li Hao glanced at the opponent, ignored his expression of shock and fury, and turned to look at Lin Qingying.

This sword strike was less of a battle and more of a demonstration for Lin Qingying.

Lin Qingying stood dazed in place. The Sun-Moon sword intent in her mind had been stirred and shattered by the light breeze Li Hao had just swung, and that breeze and that bright sword light were also branded in her heart.

This was the Supreme Soft Sword Dao.

As long as she contemplated along that brand, she would eventually cultivate this Sword Dao as well.

The previously shattered sword intent re-gathered at this moment.

Daze and realization appeared in her eyes. Supreme Soft—was this Supreme Soft?

"The softest is the strongest, the weakest is the strongest."

Li Hao whispered, slowly saying: "Soft to the extreme is not water, nor is it wind, but atoms!"

"Atoms?"

Lin Qingying was stunned, confusion appearing in her eyes; it was a word she had never heard before.

Li Hao knew that in terms of this world, it was difficult to explain, but on the path of cultivating the Supreme Soft Sword Dao, some people would also contemplate to this level, only they would use other words to replace it, which could also be called Supreme Micro!

"Grains of sand can accumulate into mountains, mountains and rivers accumulate into heaven and earth; then what accumulates into sand, what constructs water, and what condenses into wind?"

Li Hao said it very softly, both asking and guiding.

Lin Qingying was frozen, a look of contemplation appearing in her eyes. She vaguely realized what Li Hao was talking about, and she couldn't help but feel a bit shocked in her heart.

Was this the Supreme Soft Sword Dao?

Taking the foundation of all things as the basis, although the sun and moon are vast, how are they not also constructed from the most minute things?

Therefore, the Supreme Soft Sword Dao is not only not a minor Dao, but rather a very terrifying major Dao!

Lin Qingying realized this point, and her heart was shocked. She even felt that if she could truly contemplate this, the strength of this Dao would even surpass the Master Master Jian Sheng's All-Living Sword Dao! At this moment, she suddenly understood why Li Hao could defeat the Sun-Moon divine sword of vast divine might with a seemingly effortless sword strike just now.

At the most minute level, the opponent had too many flaws and defects; those were all the trajectories of his Sword Dao's extension!

"Is this... my Sword Dao?"

Lin Qingying was slightly lost, but suddenly, she thought of something and couldn't help but look at Li Hao:

"This is my Sword Dao. Is what you cultivate also Supreme Soft sword intent? Or is it that you are just..."

Her heart trembled, and she was somewhat afraid to ask further.

If Li Hao was just showing her Sword Dao to her, then it meant Li Hao himself still had his own Sword Dao!

Mastering two kinds of Sword Dao!

If just the demonstration of her Sword Dao was so terrifying, then what must Li Hao's own Sword Dao be like, and how strong would it be?! While the two were talking, the Holy Son Haoyue's face was somewhat angry to the point of losing composure. The opponent was dueling with him, yet his mind was not on him, but rather on helping Lin Qingying recast her Sword Dao.

This kind of disregard completely infuriated him.

"Take out your own Sword Dao and duel with me!"

He roared in a low voice.

Li Hao looked up and said indifferently: "My Sword Dao, you are not yet worthy to see."

The Holy Son Haoyue's cheek twitched, as if he had been slapped hard by someone, feeling a sense of anger yet helplessness.

He knew that just based on Li Hao's Sword Dao just now, he could not possibly defeat the opponent.

He had lost this battle, and the Sun-Moon Sword Dao, which had just climbed to a higher level, now actually showed cracks, giving him a feeling of mental collapse.

"Hiding your head and showing your tail, what kind of skill is that? You master such Sword Dao and impersonate an alchemist. Who exactly are you, and what is your intention in sneaking into my Sword Ancestor Holy Land?!"

The Holy Son Haoyue's eyes revealed cold light, staring fixedly at Li Hao.

He hadn't questioned him earlier because he wanted to defeat Li Hao and then judge him, making his own Sword Dao perfect. Now that his Sword Dao had suffered a setback, he only wanted to crush Li Hao to dust.

Hearing the Holy Son Haoyue's words, Lin Qingying regained her senses, and her expression changed suddenly.

She suddenly realized that since Li Hao mastered such extraordinary swordsmanship, he was by no means an ordinary person. The enemies he had encountered and been seriously injured by earlier were mostly extremely strong enemies, and it was even possible they were existences close to Half-Saints.

Now, exposing his swordsmanship means for her sake and exposing himself was extremely dangerous and required paying a great price.

Thinking of this, her expression became ugly. She took a step forward, shielding Li Hao behind her: "Qingfeng was injured and picked up by me back to the Holy Land. He is recuperating here and is not intentionally sneaking into my Holy Land, nor has he ever done anything to harm the Holy Land."

The Holy Son Haoyue sneered: "How do you know he didn't intentionally get injured to get close? You are just being used by others. He happened to come to my Holy Land at the critical moment of the Sword God Battle, spying on the Sword Dao duel, and practicing my Holy Land's sword techniques. And how does he know how to use your Sword Dao? Privately passing sword techniques to outsiders is also a grave crime!"

Lin Qingying's expression was ugly. She hadn't privately passed it on, but if Li Hao was a swordsman, practicing the sword in front of him was equivalent to teaching him.

"If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext. You lost the Sword Dao duel, so you are anxious."

Li Hao said calmly.

When he stood up for Lin Qingying, he already knew there would be such a result, and he had already calculated the pros and cons.

It was just that he would still do so. Repaying kindness with kindness and hatred with hatred—this was his original heart. If he lost his original heart, he would no longer be himself.

If one can be shattered to pieces for revenge, why can't one do the same for repaying kindness?

Hearing Li Hao's words, the Holy Son Haoyue's face was somewhat distorted, and the corners of his mouth twitched constantly. He bit his lip tightly, but restrained the anger in his heart, lest he lose his composure too much.

"Wait until my Sun-Moon sword intent enters the Dao; it's not impossible that I won't be able to slay you. It's just a minor Dao. In another ten years, I will definitely enter the Dao!"

Killing intent appeared in his eyes. There were many existences stronger than his Sword Dao, such as the various Half-Saint Elders and those older generation geniuses in the Holy Land who were in the Dao Law Realm, but the opponent had practiced for longer than him and was stronger than him, so he could accept it.

Once he practiced for another hundred years, he would only be stronger.

Li Hao knew that the opponent said this to consolidate his own Dao heart and Sword Dao. He was too lazy to say more. With that sword strike just now, he could have broken his sword intent into the opponent's consciousness, just as the opponent had dealt with Lin Qingying, shattering his sword intent and leaving a sword in his consciousness.

But Li Hao knew that such significance was not great; the opponent's master was a Master Master Jian Sheng, who could take action to help the opponent break his sword intent.

The outcome on the stage was decided. Seeing that the Holy Son Haoyue had really lost, the crowd below was instead somewhat quiet, all bewildered and incredulous.

The youngest strongest genius of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land had actually been defeated by someone using Sword Dao. Where did this old monster come from?

Elder Yao Zu's gaze was withdrawn from Li Hao, her eyes flickering. She turned her gaze to the Master Master Jian Sheng. Her beloved disciple had been defeated, and now his Sword Dao even showed cracks, needing her to repair it. She didn't know how the other party would deal with it.

She thought of that painting, thought of the youth's clean and pure eyes, and sighed in her heart. A soft voice, like wonderful immortal music, spoke:

"Alchemist Qingfeng, according to what Holy Daughter Qingying said, you were injured and drifted here. With your strength, you should also be a Holy Son of some Holy Land, right?"

In Li Hao's previous duel, he swung sword Qi. Although the Myriad Phenomena attribute could cover it up, the leakage of power exposed his cultivation, which was also in the Hearing Dao Realm.

With such a realm and swordsmanship, and being able to easily defeat the Holy Son Haoyue, such a person must have an extraordinary background.

If one said that a Holy Son of another Holy Land had personally sneaked in here and exposed himself to stand up for Lin Qingying, she definitely wouldn't believe it.

On this point, she believed that other Half-Saint Elders could also see it and wouldn't believe it, but sometimes the truth doesn't matter. Just like the Holy Son Haoyue publicly crippling Lin Qingying—that was the truth, but people value the result more, value each other's identities.

The world admires strength; when the strong speak softly, people listen, but when the weak scream, no one pays attention.

Even for the same sentence, if it comes from the mouth of the weak, it will only be ridiculed, but if said by the strong, it will be regarded as the truth of a sage.

Elder Yao Zu spoke this time to guide people to realize that Li Hao had a great identity. Such a person could not possibly risk sneaking into the Sword Ancestor Holy Land to spy and steal learning.

Li Hao heard Elder Yao Zu's words and quickly understood that the other party was not simply asking. He looked at the other party, saw her smiling gaze, and couldn't help but feel touched in his heart.

Just for the kindness of gifting a painting, the other party was willing to speak up for him at this moment.

"I was indeed injured and drifted here, recuperating in Holy Daughter Qingying's small courtyard. I have absolutely no intention of offending the Holy Land." Li Hao said in a low voice.

Elder Yao Zu nodded slightly and smiled: "Then what about now? What are your plans? Do you intend to join my Sword Ancestor Holy Land, take me as your master, or return to where you originally came from?"

The Sword Master had also asked Li Hao this. Li Hao's original plan was to stay honestly in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, cultivate sculpting, fishing, chess, etc., to the eighth or ninth level, or contemplate one item to the tenth level, and use this to sacrifice to the Dao and become a saint, then go find the Void Saint for revenge.

But now, he knew that such peaceful days were impossible to have again.

Where there is fighting, there is right and wrong, and there is no peace.

"Although I have the heart to take your sect as my master, I have a great enemy. If I join your sect, it might bring disaster to your sect."

Li Hao bowed and said in a low voice.

Elder Yao Zu smiled: "Are you being hunted by an enemy to this point? Your Sword Dao is so powerful; your enemy couldn't be a Half-Saint, right? Even so, my Sword Ancestor Holy Land can protect you!"

Other Elders, including Elder Shan Zu, were all sizing up Li Hao, hearing Elder Yao Zu's meaning. With Li Hao's swordsmanship and strength, regardless of his age, he could be considered a genius-level figure. If he could be absorbed into the Holy Land, it would indeed be a good thing.

Li Hao was slightly silent. He knew that at this point, some things had to be made clear, otherwise it would be difficult to justify himself.

"More than that."

He said in a low voice.

"More than that?"

Elder Yao Zu was slightly startled, narrowing her eyes: "More than one Half-Saint?"

Lin Qingying also looked at Li Hao, shock appearing in her eyes. When Li Hao was seriously injured, more than one Half-Saint was hunting him? How could that be? A Half-Saint taking action was already extremely terrifying, and there was more than one.

Li Hao shook his head: "Not a Half-Saint."

Hearing this, Elder Yao Zu was startled, and then her pupils contracted. Not a Half-Saint, then could it be a Sage? The opponent's enemy was actually a Sage?!

Lin Qingying also reacted, looking at Li Hao in bewilderment. Li Hao was seriously injured by a Sage?! The Holy Son Haoyue, standing in the air, also heard this and couldn't help but change his expression, looking at this sword-wielding youth with some shock. The opponent's enemy was a Sage?!

The many disciples below also reacted. A Sage is like the sun and moon in the sky, unreachable; wanting to listen to their Dao sound is a luxury. Yet Li Hao had provoked a Sage, and it was an enemy?

Elder Yao Zu was stunned for a moment, then regained her senses. She knew Li Hao wouldn't lie about such things, after all, it involved a Sage.

She smiled bitterly in her heart. If it was a Sage, to absorb a disciple like Li Hao and risk offending them was indeed not something she could decide.

She looked at the Master Master Jian Sheng. The Master Master Jian Sheng was also gazing at Li Hao. He knew that if he asked Li Hao which Sage it was, the opponent would mostly not say it, otherwise it would be equivalent to exposing himself.

And being able to provoke a Sage was mostly due to some deeper reasons.

The situation here was somewhat complicated; such a person was indeed not suitable to join the Sword Ancestor Holy Land.

However, if he were interrogated and turned over to his Sage enemy, would that also be a good thing? His eyes flickered. While he was thinking, suddenly a voice sounded, spreading into the field.

"He is a disciple under the Supreme Sage, with exceptional talent, only 28 years old this year. He is not someone my Sword Ancestor Holy Land can accommodate."

Following the voice, a figure flew over, followed by two sword attendants wearing copper masks.

The person who came was none other than the Sword Master.

(End of chapter)