Chapter 502

Hearing Li Hao's words, Chi Guang raised his eyebrows, the smile on his face fading, and his whole body suddenly erupted with intense red flames:

"A hundred-layer Dao Domain, it seems you are very confident. Then I will come to learn from you now and see how you defeat me in one move!"

He leaped, flying onto the battle platform, actually wanting to clash with Li Hao on the spot.

Seeing such a shocking change, the audience below gasped. Were two top heaven's prides who had walked out of the Divine Court going to clash head-on right now?

Many eyes glowed, full of anticipation.

At this moment, a Half-Sage from the Buddhist Sect spoke with a cold face: "Since it is a contest, there are rules. Do not break the rules. If you want to compete, you can resolve it privately after the contest, or wait until you contend for first place later. Now is the battle for the top ten; winners, please leave the battle platform!"

His voice was loud, vibrating like a bell, echoing throughout the city.

The eardrums of millions of people were buzzing, feeling the majestic Sage Dao power.

Chi Guang's gaze was cold, but the flames on his body did not extinguish. As a heaven's pride, he had been humiliated by Li Hao and could not swallow this anger, wanting to teach him a lesson on the spot.

Seeing that his words were useless, the Buddhist Half-Sage's face sank slightly, his figure suddenly flickering, instantly appearing on the battle platform. His Dharma Image was draped in a kasaya, looking solemn and majestic, looking down at Chi Guang:

"Benefactor, please do not break the rules!"

Although the words were polite, they were extremely severe, and his eyes contained Sage Dao golden light, like a golden flame.

Chi Guang's face changed slightly, feeling the layer-upon-layer aura emanating from the other party, which was constantly rising, and knowing that the other party was determined to intervene, he knew it was impossible to clash hard with Li Hao.

"Hmph, I'll let you go for now!"

Cold light flashed in Chi Guang's eyes, he withdrew his aura, and turned to return below the stage.

Li Hao was about to strike, but seeing the other party retreat, he also gave up on the sword intent he had gathered and turned to leave the stage without looking back.

The two had seats close to each other, but when they returned below the stage, they did not look at each other again.

The battle platform cleared, and the Buddhist Half-Sage's face softened. He looked deeply at Li Hao, his eyes somewhat cold and sharp, and returned to his original place, sitting on the back of a green lion.

"What a pity, we almost had a good show."

"A hundred-layer Dao Domain, that Lin Qingfeng is so arrogant, saying he must take first place and can defeat Chi Guang in one move. I don't know if it's true or false."

"Defeating that Chi Guang might be possible, but wanting to take first place, I'm afraid it's not enough."

"Isn't he a demonic cultivator? Are there demonic methods he hasn't displayed yet? This shouldn't be his full strength!"

"Just because the Buddhist Saint Son says he is a demonic cultivator, does that make him one? With his strength, is there any need to be a demonic cultivator?"

Demonic cultivators were despised in many worlds of the heavens, so collecting incense was difficult, which was not necessarily a good thing for top heaven's prides.

Unless they came from those small worlds where the Demonic Dao was rampant, where the Demonic Dao was respected, emphasizing the law of the jungle, and everything could be utilized, they only worshiped the strong and did not care about the difference between the righteous and the demonic.

"What the Buddhist Saint Son said shouldn't be empty slander."

"If he really is a demonic cultivator, why would the Buddha-Honored One tolerate it?"

The crowd below discussed, doubting Li Hao's identity, and many people looked at the Buddha-Honored One sitting on the lotus platform.

The Buddhist Saint Son could see Li Hao was a demonic cultivator, so the Buddha-Honored One should also be able to see it. If he admitted it, Li Hao's identity would be confirmed.

If he denied it, then the Buddhist Saint Son was maliciously slandering him.

The Buddha-Honored One clearly heard these discussions, and feeling the attention of the masses, his face was peaceful, his thoughts unreadable, and he only said gently: "Although Lin Qingfeng has fallen into the Demonic Dao, everyone in the Canglan Realm can participate in this heaven's pride battle. Although he is a demonic cultivator, he has the qualifications to fight. I only hope Lin Qingfeng will not be obsessed with such small paths. After the heaven's pride battle ends, if he is willing to join my Buddhist Sect, I can personally help him achieve salvation."

Hearing the Buddha-Honored One's words, the whole audience was in an uproar, and many people looked at Li Hao, their eyes revealing contempt and disdain.

The Buddha-Honored One personally spoke, which could be considered ironclad evidence.

A cold light appeared in Li Hao's eyes. He looked up directly at the Buddha-Honored One, meeting his gaze. Li Hao only felt his eyes were deep, and the Buddha eyes contained vast light, both compassionate and indifferent.

Li Hao withdrew his gaze, his heart filled with uncontrollable anger. The other party was clearly shielding his own disciple. If the other party could really see, he would definitely be able to see that he was not a demonic cultivator. On the contrary, he was performing salvation and rescuing those killing resentments, letting them go to rebirth. This was a good deed!

Only those with divine blood could do this.

He did not speak, knowing that arguing was useless. The majesty of a Sage outweighed his thousand words; how would the world believe him instead of the Sage?

This world has both good and evil! Even if they come from the same source.

Otherwise, how can one plot for profit with good?

Fortunately, having been chased by that Void Sage, Li Hao had long since broken his filter for Sages, and he did not have much reverence for them in his heart. At this moment, it could not be called disappointment, just anger.

Li Hao thought of Ying Ying Xiaoxiao; the other party was called a member of the Demon Race and was already used to it.

It was conceivable that the Divine Race had been slandered in the Holy Land of All Sages and must have once been in a very miserable situation.

Truth and falsehood are irrelevant; all things in the world are for the sake of profit.

Li Hao took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart. At this moment, he felt that among the incense floating in from time to time, a portion was decreasing. This was the incense accumulated by the Emperor Canghai Great Emperor for his city's temple.

Now, this portion of incense was waning.

It seemed that through the reflection of the Boundary Stone, many people in that city were also watching this battle, and hearing the Buddha-Honored One's words, many original believers had broken their faith because of the Buddha-Honored One's words.

Good, good, good... Breaking someone's incense is no different from killing them and breaking their Dao! Li Hao had heard that Sages fought fiercely for incense, and now that he had experienced it slightly, he felt the power of the Sage. He was not a Sage, so a Sage's word could make his incense wane. Only by being a Sage oneself, and publicly debating the Dao, could one contend for incense.

The Emperor Canghai Great Emperor had previously raised him to 15 cities of incense, but now, in just a short moment, it had waned to 10 cities, and it was still continuing to wane.

"Actually self-degraded, who can take action and suppress this person?"

"Not walking the righteous path, actually walking the evil path."

"I don't know how many wronged souls he has harmed."

The crowd below discussed, and those princes and aristocratic sons also revealed disdain. At this moment, as long as they despised the Demonic Dao, they could correct their own status.

When the world discusses evil, it is not all hatred, but hatred for hypocrisy.

Outside the crowd, Lin Lin Qingying was full of worry, hoping that these remarks would not affect Li Hao's state of mind. She knew Li Hao; such an open-minded and happy person who spent his days playing chess and painting, not even paying attention to cultivation, how could he fall into the Demonic Dao? It was just that the Buddha-Honored One had spoken, and unless a Sage defended Li Hao, it was a golden word, nailed to the board.

"I didn't expect the Buddha-Honored One to be like this..."

Outside the crowd, Lin Lin Shuhai sighed, revealing disappointment and regret in his eyes.

When people get old, they always believe in some bright things, so he also had some good feelings for Fomen in his heart, but he did not expect that the Buddha-Honored One would actually say Li Hao was of the Demonic Dao.

He had been with that child for a year; what kind of temperament he had, how could he not know?

"He actually really is of the Demonic Dao."

Li Li Qingyi and others revealed surprise in their eyes. As the Literary Ancestor Holy Land, they also despised the Demonic Dao. After all, they were scholars with vast righteousness in their chests, but they did not expect Li Hao to really be of the Demonic Dao.

The Canglan Realm respected the Buddhist Sect. Under long-term preaching, everyone despised the Demonic Dao, and they were inevitably influenced.

"But looking at his appearance, he really doesn't look like it, but this is the Buddha-Honored One's words..."

Li Li Qingyi's eyes flickered, and although she was unwilling, disappointment still appeared in her eyes.

Lin Lin Shuhai's expression was indifferent, but there was no change, as if he was not affected at all.

The twin Buddhist sons looked at Li Hao, the corners of their mouths revealing a faint smile.

On the Buddhist hall, the Literary Sage and the Master Jian Sheng looked at the Buddha-Honored One, their eyes meaningful, but they did not speak.

The Master Jian Sheng's expression was indifferent. If Lin Qingfeng had the same status as Yuwen Haoyue, Bian Bian Ruxue, and others, as his own direct disciple, he would definitely speak up to prove his innocence.

But having heard from the Sword Master that the other party was under the Supreme Sage's sect and had drifted here.

As for what the Buddha-Honored One said about being a demonic cultivator... although he could not see it, he did not believe it at all.

After all, under the Supreme Sage's sect, how could they let their disciple fall? However, now that the Buddha-Honored One was slandering him like this, if the other party returned to his sect and inherited the Sage position in the future, it would inevitably be a great battle, which to him, could be considered a good thing.

After all, the Buddhist Sect's status in the Canglan Realm was too high. If the Buddhist Sect fell, he and the Literary Sage could still contend. If the Sword Ancestor Holy Land could receive half of the Buddhist Sect's incense, he would inevitably advance further, hoping to challenge the heavenly tribulation and cross the three disasters! Amidst various controversies, seeing Li Hao not arguing, everyone was even more convinced.

Li Hao closed his eyes and did not pay attention to these external remarks anymore.

He quickly refined the killing resentment sealed in his arms. Those resentments were howling ferociously, but under the immersion of the divine blood, they seemed to find a door to peace, and the resentment gradually dissipated.

Then the fifth battle began, pulling everyone's attention back from Li Hao and transferring it to the heaven's pride clash on the battlefield.

One battle after another ended, and by the time the competition ended, people were already completely immersed in the subsequent clashes, and the final top ten of the Canglan Realm were decided.

With the promotion, the top ten all came out and arrived on the battle platform.

Thus, these ten people would represent the Canglan Realm in the battle and contend with the heavens.

Besides below the stage, countless gazes from the Canglan Realm gathered, converging on the ten people on the stage.

Li Hao felt a faint incense floating in, but the quantity was very small; this was incense that came spontaneously.

If it weren't for that Buddha-Honored One, just the fame displayed in this battle would have been enough to attract a large amount of incense.

Li Hao looked at his arms; the killing resentment inside had all been refined and absorbed.

At this moment, among the top ten, besides Li Hao, Lin Lin Shuhai, the twin Buddhist sons, and others, there were three Buddhist disciples.

Li Hao's acquaintance Qiu Qiu Wuhen stopped outside the top ten, defeated by a Buddhist Saint Son.

Su Yun, a loose practitioner from the Divine Court, also stopped outside the top ten, missing the top ten.

"You are all dragons and phoenixes among men. The true contest is in the battle with the heavens. This competition today will represent our Canglan Realm in the expedition. I hope that in the subsequent clashes, you will not lose the reputation of the Canglan Realm."

The Buddha-Honored One's voice was gentle, and he said:

"To avoid exposing some means in advance, the top-ten battle ends here. But there is no first in literature, and no second in martial arts. Below, we will conduct the contest for the first heaven's pride of the Canglan Realm!"

"Only the first place will be selected. If you have the confidence to contend, you can participate. The others can reserve their strength and wait until the supreme stage of the battle with the heavens to display it."

Hearing the Buddha-Honored One's words, everyone was surprised, but soon they were relieved.

This was also correct. This battle was to select the ten great heaven's prides of the Canglan Realm to contend with the heavens, which was equivalent to an internal war. Since it was an internal war, there was no need to fight too fiercely.

The Literary Sage and the Master Jian Sheng looked indifferent, both seeing the Buddha-Honored One's thoughts. The previous hundred cities of incense were prepared for the twin Buddhist sons. This Buddha-Honored One had paved all the roads for his disciple.

Only the first place was selected, without second or third place. This first-place position was basically predetermined.

In this way, after this battle ended, all attention would be focused on the twin Buddhist sons, and the others would be dim and lusterless.

"Buddha-Honored One, this move is a bit too much."

The Master Jian Sheng said softly. Although he did not expect Yuwen Haoyue Saint Son to become famous through this, knowing that his strength might not be in the top ten when contending with the heavens, he was somewhat unwilling to have his edge covered up in the Canglan Realm right now.

The Buddha-Honored One said gently: "The two high disciples can also contend for first place. See the truth in their hands. All living beings are equal. The Master Jian Sheng cultivates the path of all living beings and should understand this."

The Master Jian Sheng's face was slightly cold. The meaning of the Buddha-Honored One's words was that the two could also contend, all depending on their own abilities.

The Literary Sage looked at the Buddha-Honored One lightly, seemingly smiling, but did not speak.

The Master Jian Sheng saw that the Literary Sage did not speak to refute, frowned, sighed in his heart, and did not say much more.

How much could be displayed depended on Yuwen Haoyue's own ability.

Regardless, the biggest gain of this battle was Bian Bian Ruxue's enlightenment, her sword intent moving toward perfection. If she could realize the Dao through this, it would be better than this short-lived glory.

After all, the path of cultivation is extremely long, and a temporary defeat is nothing.

"This is very good, saving trouble. I only want first place, I have no interest in the rest!"

Chi Guang was very satisfied with the Buddha-Honored One's words. As he spoke, his eyes looked at the twin Buddhist sons. Seeing that they were not looking at him, but at Lin Qingfeng beside him, he raised his eyebrows, and then his gaze also fell on Li Hao.

"It's time to take back the big words from before!"

Chi Guang said to Li Hao, his expression indifferent, having the bearing of looking down from above.

Li Hao did not pay attention; the other party had not entered his eyes at all.

"If you want to contend for first place, you can come on stage. The others, step back for now."

A Buddhist Half-Sage said loudly.

The ten people looked at each other, and none of them left the stage. The three Buddhist Saint Sons looked at Li Hao, and one of them said:

"We cultivate our hearts and natures, and have no interest in contending for first place, we only want to eliminate demons and guard the Dao!"

"That's right, since you are a demonic cultivator, you should return to the place where you demonic cultivators belong!"

"Chanting scriptures and practicing, only to eliminate demons, to make the world clear. Although I am not first, I will not let this demonic benefactor take first place!"

The three Buddhist Saint Sons looked cold, staring directly at Li Hao, their whole bodies blooming with Buddhist light.

Li Hao heard these words and wanted to laugh. He did not know if they were too deep in chanting scriptures or had other purposes, and said:

"There's no need to be wordy. You can all come together. Since you say I am of the Demonic Dao, then you must not be defeated by me. Otherwise, what scriptures are you chanting, and what Buddha are you cultivating?!"

Hearing Li Hao's words, the three were shocked and angry. They did not expect Li Hao to be so arrogant. They were all in the top ten and were outstanding among the Saint Sons, yet they were looked down upon by Li Hao.

"You are mine."

Chi Guang said to Li Hao.

Li Hao looked disdainful and said: "You all come together, I don't mind one more!"

Chi Guang was stunned, his sneering face suddenly darkening, saying: "This time, even the Buddhist Half-Sage cannot protect you!"

As he spoke, his whole body erupted with dazzling, intense firelight, and the temperature of the entire battle platform was rising rapidly.

That Buddhist Half-Sage was somewhat helpless. These guys were arrogant and acted as soon as they spoke, really not respecting the rules at all.

Lin Lin Shuhai smiled slightly, but did not say anything, just turned and flew off the stage, leaving the battle platform.

Seeing this, the others also walked off the battle platform, not intervening in this contest.

Lin Lin Qingying's figure flickered, arriving beside Li Hao, standing with her sword, clearly wanting to face the three Buddhist Saint Sons with Li Hao.

Li Hao looked at her and said softly: "You go, don't be implicated by me."

"Isn't it just a demonic cultivator? What if I really accompany you to cultivate the demon?"

Lin Lin Qingying held her sword, but her eyes looked at the three Buddhist Saint Sons in front.

Hearing these words, the three Buddhist Saint Sons' faces changed drastically. Lin Lin Qingying was different from Li Hao; she was the Saintess of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, with a holy land sect behind her.

Li Hao felt a shock in his heart when he heard the other party's words, looking at the other party. In the scorching heat wave, the other party's hair was dancing, but her eyes were bright and determined.

That peerless and beautiful face was deeply engraved in Li Hao's eyes. He stared at it seriously for a moment, then lowered his head and said to Xiyan on his wrist:

"You go back to the Heaven and Earth space first."

Xiyan also realized that there would be a great battle, and said to Li Hao: "You must be careful."

As she spoke, she quickly drilled back into the spatial crack Li Hao had opened for her. She knew that staying here would only drag Li Hao down.

At this moment, Li Hao looked up, looking at the three Buddhist Saint Sons and Chi Guang, whose whole body was burning with red flames like a fire god, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "It seems I gave you too much, and you don't know how to cherish it."

"Nonsense, what have you ever given us?"

A Buddhist Saint Son said angrily.

Li Hao reached into the Heaven and Earth space, drew out the pitch-black Gongming, and said: "I gave you too much face!"

As he spoke, the Heaven and Earth meridians suddenly appeared behind his back, like a towering pillar, shrouding the aura of the four directions of the battle platform.

Then he extracted it violently. His physique was cultivated to the Tongli Final Realm, and the divine blood in his body could accommodate power exceeding other peers, so the extraction speed of the Heaven and Earth meridians was even more vast, like a tangible energy storm, rising behind Li Hao and circling the youth's body.

Seeing such a terrifying scene, everyone was shocked.

It was also the Heaven and Earth meridians, the second extreme state, but the vision Li Hao displayed was more vast and imposing than theirs.

Chi Guang narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming solemn, saying: "Come on, let me see!"

He stood in the fire domain, surrounded by flames, faintly with a phoenix shadow, and a golden long spear appeared in his hand, as if forged from magma, showing signs of golden patterns cracking.

"I haven't let you experience my true means before, now you should see it!"

Golden flames erupted in Chi Guang's eyes, and the spear shaft bloomed with extreme flame light. That was the Flame Dao, dazzling and brilliant, as if the spear tip condensed a divine sun, capable of burning everything.

"That Chi Guang's spear technique has entered the Dao!"

"What a terrifying spear intent. Outside the formation, I feel like I'm being ignited, and my whole body is hot."

"What kind of spear Dao is that? I feel like my whole body is sweating!"

Reflected by the Boundary Stone, the countless martial artists in the dozens of Divine Courts of the Canglan Realm felt their eyes being burned by the divine spear reflected in the clouds above their heads, and felt their blood boiling.

Just a trace of spear intent transmitted from the spear Dao was so terrifying. It was unimaginable how one could resist if facing this spear directly.

Lin Lin Qingying's face changed slightly, somewhat pale. She did not expect Chi Guang's spear technique to have entered the Dao so terrifyingly. She felt her whole body burning, and flames appeared in her heart. She tried hard to restrain it, and only after the image of Li Hao's words from before appeared in her mind, placing herself in nothingness, could she barely resist half of it.

But she only stayed at the level of "intent." If the other party fired the spear, she would definitely be unable to parry.

"This Chi Guang is so terrifying!"

Behind Chi Guang, the three Buddhist Saint Sons' faces also changed drastically. They did not expect this dark horse to be so dark; this combat power far exceeded them.

Lin Lin Shuhai's eyes flickered, and the smile on his face faded slightly.

On the stage, Li Hao's eyes were as cold as ice, without change.

He raised his hand, and the momentum of the whole person changed. The previous disguise seemed to be torn off at this moment, revealing his true face.

The pitch-black sword body bloomed with power that split the void.

"Mm?!"

Seeing the terrifying Dao rhyme flowing on Li Hao's sword, Chi Guang, who was full of disdain and confidence, narrowed his eyes, inexplicably feeling a trace of palpitation.

Boom! Li Hao did not waste words, suddenly waving his sword.

Only I, Sword Dao! At this moment, he was performing his own Sword Dao.

Wherever his eyes reached, wherever his intent went, everything was slashed! What kind of sword was that? The pitch-black sword light rose from the battle platform. Wherever the sword light slashed, the void cracked, turning into pitch-black cracks, and space broke! Wherever the sword light reached, nothing could be looked down upon!

The sword light reached, nothing could be looked down upon!

Chi Guang's pupils shrank, feeling a kind of terrifying splitting. All the hair on his body stood up, goosebumps rising, and his blood boiled.

He felt the terrifying pressure between life and death, and could not help but roar, his angry hair flying, roaring: "Break!!"

The spear erupted with dazzling divine light, the extreme of the Flame Dao, burning everything.

The scorching firelight seemed to be accompanied by an ancient phoenix cry, making people's consciousness shake. Even if reflected through the Boundary Stone, countless people watching the battle felt that phoenix cry, their brains shaking, somewhat dazed.

However, this spear, with infinite momentum, melted like ice and snow in front of the black crack that swept over, rapidly disintegrating and shattering.

That sword was unstoppable, instantly tearing the battle platform, slashing Chi Guang's spear Dao to extinction, snapping the divine spear in his hand, and then sweeping across his shoulder, tearing off an arm, and slashing into the formation.

The formation condensed by the Half-Sage on the battle platform shook and trembled at this moment, then suddenly tore, breaking out a huge hole! On the Buddhist hall, the Buddha-Honored One revealed a glimmer of light in his eyes, pressed his finger, and the sword Qi that tore out of the formation was suppressed by a Buddhist light finger print, which then slowly dissipated.

And under the reflection of the Boundary Stone, countless viewers in the Canglan Realm felt their pupils being split, feeling a sharp pain.

Countless people covered their eye sockets, letting out screams.

That sword could slash everything, including the gaze!

This was Li Hao's true Sword Dao, Only I Sword Dao! With one sword, in Heaven and Earth, only my sword exists, and the rest are all destroyed! (End of chapter)