Chapter 619

In the Li Tianyuan Sacred Land.

Inside Seeing Yuanzu's cave dwelling, the Sacred Ones had gathered.

"Seeing Yuanzu, the Sacred Infant has achieved the Sixth Ultimate Realm!"

One of the first-arriving Sacred Ones spoke, face flushed with excitement.

Here, the Supreme Sacred Ones—Fasheng, Mingsheng, Mosheng—had already arrived, their expressions calm, yet their hearts likewise stirred with excitement.

After so many years, the myriad heavens have finally birthed a second Sixth Ultimate Realm cultivator!

That Immortal Path is no longer solely controlled by Li Hao.

Earlier, during the Supreme Heavenly Prodigy Battle, they learned a Sixth Ultimate Realm cultivator had emerged, expecting to control it themselves—but who knew Li Hao advanced step by step, progressing with astonishing speed, publicly cultivating into a Sacred One, and now returning from the Immortal Path, he has become too powerful even for the Supreme Sacred Ones to suppress.

It was like a net laid for ten thousand years, yet a gap appeared, letting a great fish slip through—only for that fish to turn and devour them.

"Now, we no longer need to bow to the will of the General Lord Hao Tianzun."

"What General Lord Hao Tianzun? A treacherous little worm, monopolizing the Immortal Path for his own selfish gain—truly a disgrace to Sacred Ones!"

"How could such a despicable man have written the Dao Jing, a sacred scripture, during the Dao Discourse Assembly? It's unthinkable!"

"How dare he claim, 'Only by not contending does one avoid being contended with'? What a hypocrite!"

As the Sacred Ones gathered, beyond surprise and excitement, their words turned increasingly hostile toward Li Hao—now free to speak without restraint, they too had earned the right to tread the Immortal Path!

Once they entered the Immortal Path, even if their cultivation didn't advance as swiftly as Li Hao's, their numbers would overwhelm him—if all became Immortals, together they would eventually crush him!

At the same time, they would make known to the Immortal Gods who had taken Li Hao as a disciple the baseness of his deeds!

"All of you gathered here—General Hao Tian may sense something. We must act swiftly, and ascend the Immortal Path without delay."

At this moment, the Supreme Sacred One of the Yin-Yang School spoke calmly.

The Supreme Sacred One of the Mohist School's eyes flickered—he remembered speaking with that boy during the Dao Discourse Assembly, and given his disciple's ties to the Jiang family, he had always held affection for the youth—but this time, the boy had disappointed him.

Yet he still harbored doubts about Li Hao's words; still, compared to the chance of reaching the Immortal Gods, his heart longed to see it with his own eyes.

"Correct. That brat is treacherous—we cannot let him ruin this."

"The Ancient Hall is guarded by Yisheng. That fool actually trusts that boy's words—what if she stubbornly blocks us?"

One Sacred One said.

Seeing Yuanzu slightly raised his hand, signaling silence. Now that the Sacred Infant had completed cultivation, the Immortal Path lay within reach—he would allow no one to spoil his plans.

"My avatar has already opened the Immortal Gate and is retrieving the Sacred Infant."

Seeing Yuanzu's expression turned grave: "Though the Sacred Infant has achieved the Heavenly-Person Ultimate Realm, his own cultivation remains at the Three Imperishable Realm—he has not yet entered the Four Foundations Realm, lacks a spatial domain, and must ascend to the Four Foundations Realm before he can carry us into the Immortal Path."

"I possess a divine medicine that can rapidly boost cultivation below the Realm of Hearing the Dao—but it will destabilize the foundation."

An elderly Sacred One stroked his beard.

Seeing Yuanzu nodded—he knew the medicine the elder held. His words were meant to prompt the elder to offer it willingly.

"No matter. Our purpose in creating the Sacred Infant is to enter the Immortal Path. Even if his foundation becomes unstable afterward, it won't matter."

Seeing Yuanzu said.

Others all agreed.

Soon after, the elderly Sacred One withdrew the divine medicine, and shortly, a figure flew swiftly from afar into the Sacred Land.

The figure was Seeing Yuanzu's avatar—he entered the Sacred Land, dissolving into specks of starlight, leaving behind only a young man of elegant bearing and striking beauty.

Yet the youth, standing before the Sacred Ones, was visibly terrified, trembling with fear and nervousness.

He had been cultivating when suddenly transported here—he was utterly bewildered.

Yet before him, the Sacred Ones, though terrifying, also evoked an inexplicable sense of kinship—as if something within his body resonated with theirs.

Seeing this second Sacred Infant, all Sacred Ones fixed their gazes upon him, eyes gleaming.

"Child, don't be afraid."

Seeing Yuanzu smiled, then took the divine medicine from the elderly Sacred One's hand and offered it to the Sacred Infant.

Half an hour later, the Sacred Ones followed Seeing Yuanzu and the Divine King toward the Void Ancient Hall.

Around the Ancient Hall, mist swirled, drifting through the void, shimmering with lightning—impossible to approach.

But all present were Sacred Ones; soon they ascended the steps before the Ancient Hall, enduring the great laws of the Dao etched upon them, and entered the hall.

But all present were True Persons, and they quickly ascended the steps before the ancient hall, enduring the Dao laws upon the steps, until they reached the ancient hall.

Before the Ancient Hall, Yisheng sat cross-legged, her snow-white silken robe fluttering, her hair dancing in the wind, bathed in starlight from the hall—ethereal, transcendent, radiating beauty beyond mortal realms.

Seeing Seeing Yuanzu and the Divine King, along with the Sacred Ones behind them, Yisheng frowned slightly, her expression shifting.

"Yisheng, the second Sacred Infant has achieved the Sixth Ultimate Realm. Now, the myriad heavens no longer have only General Lord Hao Tianzun as its sole possessor."

Seeing Yuanzu looked at Yisheng, calm and steady: "Your power contributed to the construction of this second Sacred Infant. Step aside—we shall ascend the Immortal Path together!"

Yisheng froze, then sensed—immediately realizing the second Sacred Infant was no longer in the mortal realm; his aura hovered near Seeing Yuanzu, concealed by him.

She knew their grand display was no bluff—her heart stirred slightly.

"Yisheng, do you truly believe General Hao Tian's one-sided words?"

Mingsheng stepped forward, voice icy.

Yisheng fell silent. She did not fully trust Li Hao's words—but she believed them at least eighty percent; otherwise, she could not fathom why he would deceive them.

"Step aside. The chance for Immortality lies before you—just move out of the way."

Seeing Yuanzu spoke again, no longer as composed as before—his voice now edged with suppressed urgency.

Fasheng murmured: "Yisheng, you alone cannot stop us. Don't waste time."

Yisheng fell silent. Indeed, she alone could not stand against Seeing Yuanzu and the Divine King—if she resisted, she herself would be in danger.

Hearing Long Sheng, previously hunted by the Divine King, had not shown his face since—vanished without a trace. Even now, they had no chance to seek him for information.

"All of you—if General Hao Tian speaks truth, and you break this Immortal Gate, won't you summon the Ancient Demon and bring catastrophe upon the myriad heavens?"

Yisheng gazed at the Sacred Ones.

"Don't be frightened by General Hao Tian. What Ancient Demon? If such a calamity truly existed, wouldn't our combined strength be enough to oppose it? He alone has lived there for over a decade—how powerful could this Ancient Demon possibly be?"

"Correct! And if things turn dire, we can always retreat."

Other Sacred Ones immediately chimed in.

"Just to verify its truth—if it's real, fine. If false, we'll miss this chance for Immortality!"

"General Hao Tian spent only twelve years there—and look how strong he's become. Aren't you tempted?"

As the Sacred Ones spoke one after another, Seeing Yuanzu turned to Yisheng:

"Step aside. Don't delay."

Yisheng saw the slowly rising aura emanating from Seeing Yuanzu and the Divine King. After a moment's silence, she stepped aside.

"If what he says is true, return quickly!"

Yisheng said, eyes fixed.

But no one answered. As she moved aside, Seeing Yuanzu and the Divine King and the others surged into the Ancient Hall.

The array Yisheng had set up—Seeing Yuanzu raised his hand and shattered it instantly.

He was the oldest Sacred One, having repeatedly reached cultivation bottlenecks over countless eons. He had spent endless time refining other arts—alchemy, artifact forging, arrays—all mastered to the pinnacle.

Among the myriad heavens, though his combat strength was supreme, his mastery in all other fields was equally unmatched—yet these skills could not directly enhance his cultivation power.

But in terms of overall mastery, none could surpass him.

With the array dismantled, Seeing Yuanzu and the others returned to the starry rift.

As the formation collapsed, Yuan Zu and the others returned once more to the starry sky rift.

Seeing Yuanzu raised his hand and summoned the Sacred Infant from his sleeve.

"Feel it—can you enter the rift?"

Seeing Yuanzu said.

The Sacred Infant nodded. Now, he felt no fear toward the Sacred Ones—only obedience.

He walked to the door, his hair swiftly turning silver, then gently touched the portal.

His flesh began to decay, tear apart—the damage of transformation into Immortality.

He had not yet refined the Three Imperishable Ultimate Realm, so if pushed to full Immortal transformation, he could sustain it only for a fleeting instant.

But Seeing Yuanzu had already devised a solution: use his accumulated divine medicines to heal his body.

Some of these medicines could briefly activate his flesh, boosting self-healing a hundredfold—but at the cost of nearly half his lifespan!

As the Sacred Infant's blood sprayed, his skin split, his appearance turning grotesque.

Yet his power surged ever stronger, alongside a faint, ethereal force.

Soon, the Sacred Infant reached the brink of full Immortal transformation—his palm became insubstantial, dissolving into the heavens, touching the gap in the door.

But the gap was sealed by a force—solidified, congealed—and he himself was in a mist-like state, unable to shatter it.

He tried repeatedly—each attempt failed.

He could only withdraw from Immortal transformation, his wounds healing rapidly.

"It's blocked. I cannot break through. You must destroy whatever fills the gap."

The Sacred Infant turned to Seeing Yuanzu.

Hearing this, the Sacred Ones' expressions changed—some immediately cursed.

"General Hao Tian is too despicable—he's sealed the Immortal Path!"

"He won't let us in, and now he's blocked the way—how vile!"

Seeing Yuanzu and the Divine King exchanged glances. The Divine King said: "I'll try."

He stepped forward, sword in hand, staring at the door's patterns—faintly sensing a weak aura emanating from one spot.

Saying this, he drew his sword and approached the door, his gaze fixed on the patterns, faintly sensing a faint aura emanating from one spot.

It must be that gap.

He suddenly drew his sword, unleashing the power of the Ultimate Dao Realm, his body engulfed in black flames as he slashed forward in one swift motion.

Boom!

The sword qi enveloped the door, striking it instantly.

The aura at the gap was burned by the black flames, and soon weakened significantly.

Li Hao had used a portion of his own flesh to seal the gap, but the quantity was too small; though it contained a trace of immortal power, it could not withstand the assault of the Divine King's Ultimate Dao Realm, and cracks quickly formed.

Under the continued scorching of the black flames, that section of the gap was soon exposed.

Yet even the Divine King and the Source Ancestor, with their bodies, could not pass through such a gap.

Even if they turned themselves into blood, they could not seep through.

"That thing is gone."

The Holy Infant sensed this and spoke immediately.

Upon hearing this, the Divine King sheathed his blade, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes—was this all the method he had?

Meanwhile, in the Cloud and Mist Realm.

Inside a private chamber of a top-tier tavern.

Li Hao, who had been drinking with Ji Yu Xuan Shen, Zhantian, and others, suddenly tensed, his wine cup halting halfway to his lips.

"Hmm?"

The Night Ancestor frowned, watching Li Hao.

Li Hao's expression changed—he felt the portion of his flesh he had used to seal the gap had vanished.

Could it be that the Ancient Demons on the Ancient Path had found the Xuanpi Gate?

His good mood vanished instantly. He rose at once and said to them: "Trouble has arisen on the Immortal Path—I must go see. You carry on."

Without even bidding them farewell, his figure flickered and disappeared.

The others froze, exchanging bewildered glances.

"Trouble on the Immortal Path?"

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Li Hao raced like a thunderbolt, slicing through the rifts between heaven and earth, speeding full force toward the Ancient Palace.

But the Cloud and Mist Realm was extremely distant from the Ancient Palace—nearly spanning half the Heavenly Realms.

As Li Hao raced toward it, inside the Ancient Palace:

With the pattern's gap shattered, the Holy Infant transformed once more into an Immortal, extending his body into the gap—and succeeded immediately.

"It works!"

The Holy Infant declared at once.

All the Saints wore expressions of joy. The Source Ancestor exhaled in relief and said: "The thing sealing the gap was done by that Hao Tian—he may sense it. We must act quickly."

The Holy Infant nodded, unfolding his celestial space. Without hesitation, all the Saints swiftly slipped inside.

They were all Saints; even within the Holy Infant's celestial space, the opponent could not harm them.

Soon, as all the Saints entered the celestial space, the Holy Infant transformed again into an Immortal and slipped into the gap.

As he slipped in, the Medical Saint arrived, standing before the rift, gazing at the ancient gate amid the starry void, his brow furrowed, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

Soon, the Holy Infant entered the gap.

After a long passage of darkness, light finally appeared ahead.

As Li Hao had done before, the Holy Infant leapt into the light—and his vision sharpened instantly.

But what appeared before him was a grotesque, charred stone.

The Holy Infant was startled, yet the Saints within his celestial space sensed the outside and immediately broke free from his domain.

"Hmm?"

The Source Ancestor stepped forward first, instantly sensing this realm differed profoundly from the Saints' homeland.

The very air was thick with immense power—vast and overwhelming—but he could not absorb or refine it.

Without doubt, it was immortal power.

Yet alongside it, waves of strange malevolent thoughts surged, making him frown.

Before him lay massive boulders, blocking the path ahead.

He did not rashly blast them away; instead, he extended his spiritual sense—and recoiled in shock, seeing a figure seated in meditation within a crack between the rocks: it was Li Hao!

"You…"

The Source Ancestor tensed, then realized this Li Hao was merely a manifestation—not his true body.

He relaxed slightly, then scanned the surroundings.

Before him stretched a desolate valley—not the paradise of birdsong and blossoms he had imagined.

This surprised him, yet he reasoned: perhaps this was merely the Immortal Path, not the Immortal Realm. Only after passing through this valley and reaching the true lands of Immortals and Gods would he see the world's true face.

As the Source Ancestor observed, the other Saints also scouted the area, all detecting traces of Li Hao's shadow manifestation.

"This is the Immortal Path?"

"It's different from what we imagined."

"So barren—but the power here is unlike anything in our sacred lands. If we could absorb it, we might become Immortals and Gods!"

"Our cultivation methods can't condense this power. Only by becoming disciples of an Immortal Sect could we hope to."

The Saints whispered among themselves.

At that moment, Li Hao's shadow manifestation opened his eyes, sensing the intruders.

"Is this Hao Tian's manifestation? He's truly treacherous—leaving a manifestation here to guard it, likely to prevent other Immortals and Gods from discovering our world's exit."

"Destroy his manifestation, then find the path beyond."

"I feel something's off here. We should be cautious."

"Agreed."

Among the Saints, while some burned with hatred for Li Hao, others had already sensed something was amiss.

The Source Ancestor said nothing and ignored Li Hao's manifestation, walking straight toward the valley.

But Li Hao's shadow manifestation stepped forward, blocking his path.

The Source Ancestor's face darkened. "Move aside."

The shadow manifestation said nothing, only holding a broken, jagged sword, staring coldly at him.

"You dare block us? Foolish!"

One Saint, enraged by the sight of Li Hao's manifestation, struck instantly, slapping his palm toward the manifestation.

The shadow manifestation drew his sword in response, the blade flashing like light and shadow—instantly shattering the attack, then the broken sword sliced through like moonlight, tearing the Saint's body apart.

"Such a powerful weapon!"

The Saints were stunned—Li Hao was only a manifestation, yet he was this terrifying?

The one who struck was a Three Calamities Saint—and yet his body was cleaved open, his Saint Domain shattered, by a mere manifestation? This was unbelievable.

The Source Ancestor's gaze fixed on the broken sword—he sensed its terrifying nature; it was no Dao Weapon.

An Immortal Artifact…

His eyes flickered with subtle light. Even a powerless Immortal Artifact was immensely precious.

Before he could act, a flash of fire erupted beside him—the Divine King had already struck, slashing toward the shadow manifestation.

Black flames swirled around his blade as he unleashed the power of the Ultimate Dao Realm, radiating a vast, chilling aura as he slashed.

Boom—the sword light shattered Li Hao's Dao Domain.

Since the shadow manifestation inherited only one-third of Li Hao's original power, it possessed no Ultimate Realm, no Final Realm.

For example, a Dao Domain required 360 layers to become an Eternal Dao Domain—but the shadow manifestation had only 120.

Yet even so, its Primordial Spirit inherited one-third of Li Hao's power, making it stronger than any other Saint.

The broken sword slashed out—its speed astonishing. As the black flame blade struck the shadow manifestation, the broken sword pierced the Divine King's armor, splitting his body in two.

Both bodies were torn open. Li Hao's form ignited with divine flames, his wounds refusing to heal—the Ultimate power relentlessly destroyed them.

But the Divine King's body healed instantly. He was furious—he, a Divine King, had been wounded so severely by Li Hao's mere manifestation.

As he swung his blade repeatedly, the shadow manifestation's body became increasingly engulfed in black flames, burning fiercely.

"No wonder he's the Divine King—this Ultimate power is truly brutal."

"That Hao Tian's manifestation feels even more terrifying. Just a manifestation, yet it holds out so long."

"He cultivates Immortal arts—of course he can achieve this."

The Saints watched the scene intently.

As the shadow manifestation neared death, a howling sound suddenly tore through the void.

The shadow manifestation looked up, turned toward the sound, and ignoring the Divine King's attack, slashed with his broken sword.

But halfway through its flight, the sword was struck down by the Source Ancestor's attack, who then unleashed a Saintly Dao force, enveloping the blade and wrenching it from the shadow manifestation's control.

"You're good at snatching spoils."

The Divine King's face turned icy as he glared at the Source Ancestor.

The Source Ancestor held the broken sword calmly. With an Immortal Artifact in hand, one that had just cleaved the Divine King, it could do the same to him.

Before the two could argue further, the howling drew near, entering the Saints' spiritual sense range.

"What is that?"

One Saint saw it—and his pupils shrank, horror flashing in his eyes.

"That… that looks like an Ancient Demon!"

"Yes, it's the Ancient Demon that Hao Tian revealed earlier!"

"Is this real? Could it be some celestial beast summoned by Hao Tian's avatar?"

Some Sages showed shock in their eyes; others still believed Li Hao was behind this, their gazes filled with anger.

"Quick, kill this thing!"

When Yuan Zu and the Divine King saw the Ancient Demon, their expressions changed instantly. They couldn't tell if Li Hao had summoned it, but Li Hao's earlier words had left an indelible mark in their minds. The desolate scene before them, combined with this Ancient Demon, made Li Hao's words suddenly crystal clear.

If Li Hao was right, and this place was exposed, the entire Multiverse would face a great calamity!

Yuan Zu and the Divine King moved swiftly—Yuan Zu struck even harder. He had just seized Li Hao's avatar's weapon, and he could tell the avatar had intended to kill the Ancient Demon, but he had interrupted it.

Therefore, this Ancient Demon could not have been summoned by Li Hao… it could only be…

The worst possible outcome!

Boom!

As Yuan Zu, the Divine King, and other Sages launched their attacks, the Ancient Demon was soon struck by countless blows and fell to the ground.

Yuan Zu and the Divine King rushed forward to strike, but the Ancient Demon's regenerative power was immense—though their attacks shattered its body, it healed instantly.

At the same time, the Ancient Demon released a cloud of black mist, spreading outward from its center.

The Sages assumed it was mere demonic magic and charged in with their weapons—only to be horrified as the primordial spirit energy on their weapons rapidly corroded, burning like souls on fire!

"What… what kind of attack is this?"

The Sages were stunned and hastily retracted their weapons, instead using their Sage Domains to encircle and compress the black mist toward the Ancient Demon.

But when their Sage Domains touched the mist, the primordial spirit energy within them too began to burn.

The black mist was like a branding iron—untouchable.

Yuan Zu's face darkened. Suddenly, he raised his hand and summoned his Dao Tribulation Emperor Weapon. Thunderous lightning flickered in the void, radiating terrifying tribulation power. The first weapon of the Multiverse now blazed with majesty and radiance.

Boom!

The Heaven-Taming Whip lashed out, tearing a gap in the black mist, then slammed violently onto the Ancient Demon, shredding its flesh and splitting its primordial spirit.

The tribulation energy of the Heaven-Taming Whip tore through the Ancient Demon's primordial spirit, but the demon's spirit was immensely strong—though grievously wounded, it did not die immediately.

This shocked Yuan Zu. He swung the whip again and again, each strike landing hard, while the Divine King's sword blade slashed in unison. Only through their combined, relentless assault did they finally slay the Ancient Demon.

As the Ancient Demon's primordial spirit shattered and its body was torn into fragments.

Yuan Zu and the Divine King exchanged glances, both seeing doubt and shock in each other's eyes.

Earlier, Hao Tian had said that even the weakest of these Ancient Demons rivaled a Supreme Sage. They had doubted it then—but now they had seen it with their own eyes.

Moreover, they were even more tenacious than Supreme Sages. They could feel the Ancient Demon's primordial spirit was extraordinarily strong; had their weapons been weaker, they might have been locked in a stalemate.

"This place… truly isn't the celestial realm we imagined."

The Divine King said grimly.

Yuan Zu's face was pale with dread. His heart clenched and spasmed. Had all his years of relentless pursuit been nothing but a dream?

Was the celestial realm, as Li Hao claimed, already seized by these Ancient Demons?

He looked up, gazing into the distance, seeking answers from the heavens—but the Dao here was unreachable, offering no reply.

Worse still, he saw more dark shadows gathering in the sky above.

Yuan Zu's face turned ashen. "No! Quickly, retreat!"

The other Sages were still stunned—their spiritual senses were suppressed here, unable to perceive anything farther.

But the urgency in Yuan Zu's voice sank a chill into every heart.

They had ignored Li Hao's warnings to come here, only to verify for themselves—but now they felt something was terribly wrong.

Soon, the sound of tearing air came—Ancient Demons moved with terrifying speed. In an instant, dozens flew across the gorge, charging toward them.

They sensed the aura of other races with extreme sensitivity—especially so many Sages, like glowing fireflies blazing in the dark.

At this point, Yuan Zu knew without doubt: these Ancient Demons were not summoned by Li Hao. Everything Li Hao had said before the Celestial Gate was true.

The celestial realm was indeed filled with Ancient Demons!

And these things were terrifyingly powerful!

Flee!

Yuan Zu and the Divine King turned and fled first.

As they turned back toward the Yu Xuan Pi Gate, they saw Li Hao's avatar—previously struck by the Divine King, its body scorched with black flames and covered in wounds—now charging straight into the group of Ancient Demons.

This sight left Yuan Zu and the Divine King stunned, a deep shock stirring within them, their faces darkening further.

Yuan Zu gripped the broken sword in his hand—and for the first time, felt its weight and heat unbearable.

His face burned. Seeing other Sages still frozen, he roared: "Quick! All of you, return!"

The other Sages now saw the dozen Ancient Demons rushing into view—every one paled in terror. Hearing Yuan Zu's roar, they hurried to gather around him.

"Th-these Ancient Demons are real!"

One Sage muttered, his eyes dazed.

"Look! Hao Tian's avatar is charging at the Ancient Demons!"

"He's going to die!"

The Sages watched as Hao Tian's avatar charged into the dozen Ancient Demons—unafraid of death.

But the avatar had no weapon—only condensed sword qi. Yet even that qi cut slowly against the Ancient Demons, unable to kill them.

Soon, the avatar was surrounded.

The Sages were stunned. They never expected the avatar to still fight so fiercely at this moment.

Compared to the avatar, they felt an unspeakable shame, a crushing sense of worthlessness.

"Go!"

Yuan Zu urged the Sage Infant.

The Sage Infant was also panicked, swiftly unfolding his realm of heaven and earth. Yuan Zu and the Divine King flew into it first.

The other Sages snapped out of their shock and scrambled inside.

Then, the Sage Infant fully transformed into a celestial being and slipped through the gate's gap.

Inside the Sage Infant's realm, the Sages still saw the outside scene—the last thing they witnessed was Li Hao's avatar being torn apart by the Ancient Demons, who then turned and chased after them.

Whoosh!

After passing through the dark passage, they emerged again through the gap into the starry void.

Before them stood the ancient gate, standing unshaken for countless eons.

The Sage Infant's face was pale, his body bleeding profusely from the wounds inflicted by the celestial transformation, his lifespan drastically reduced.

The Sages poured out of his realm and landed in the starry void.

Seeing this familiar starry sky, they still felt shaken, as if barely escaped death.

The grotesque forms of the Ancient Demons matched exactly what Li Hao had revealed. Even one had been nearly impossible to kill—now, dozens had gathered. If surrounded, they would surely suffer casualties.

"H-how could this happen?"

"The celestial realm truly has such things… he wasn't lying."

"So Hao Tian's words were true? His avatar wasn't blocking the Celestial Path—it was guarding it?"

"No wonder the stones piled up around us when we crossed over—he was covering the Celestial Gate! He was protecting us! Everything he said was true!"

The Sages' eyes filled with dread. Thinking of how Li Hao's avatar had charged fearlessly into the Ancient Demons—and been torn apart—they felt as if dozens of slaps had struck their faces, burning with humiliation.

"We've brought down a cosmic disaster!"

The Mo Family Supreme Sage's face was grim. He had once been disappointed in the boy—but now he realized the boy might have been far more disappointed in them.

Worse still, compared to this, the immediate crisis was worse: their auras had been exposed, drawing the Ancient Demons—and now the Celestial Gate itself might be revealed.

This was why Li Hao had blocked them, refused even to let them glimpse it.

It truly would bring disaster…

The Mo Family Supreme Sage's heart turned bitter as he looked at Yuan Zu.

Yuan Zu and the Divine King's faces were equally grim. They now understood the gravity of their mistake.

The Ancient Demons were real. The calamity was real. Li Hao had warned: if the Ancient Demons were awakened, their numbers were countless. If this Celestial Gate were breached… the entire Multiverse would fall.

"You…"

As the Sages stood pale-faced, the Sage Physician waiting by the fissure noticed their return. She froze, then saw their expressions—and her heart lurched. Something terrible had happened.

Facing the Sage Physician, the Sages remembered their earlier words to her—and felt their cheeks burn. But now, there was no time for shame. The calamity loomed, and every heart swelled with endless regret.

"He was telling the truth? Then now…?"

The Sage Physician rushed to Yuan Zu, staring intently.

Yuan Zu involuntarily avoided her gaze. "There are Ancient Demons on the other side. The celestial realm… was only our illusion. Now the Ancient Demons have sensed the Celestial Gate. We don't know if it can hold."

The Sage Physician's face changed. Her beautiful eyes flared with fury as she scanned the others, her gaze burning with anger—but she knew scolding them now was useless.

Before she could speak, the Sage Infant suddenly screamed:

"No! Something's coming through!"

"What?!"

The Sages gasped as black mist seeped from a crack in the Celestial Gate, thickening rapidly until it coalesced into the shape of an Ancient Demon.

"How could this happen!"

Yuan Zu's face darkened. "Quick! Kill it!"

He moved first, charging at the Ancient Demon.

The Divine King, with no time for hesitation, drew his sword and struck.

All the Saints had experienced the ancient demon's power; in shock, they immediately joined forces.

The Law Saint and the Name Saint and others also acted swiftly.

As wave after wave of Saint Domains and attacks descended, the ancient demon that had just crawled through had no time to unleash its innate secret technique before being slain on the spot by the combined might of the Divine King, the Source Ancestor, and the collective Saints.

This ancient demon was only third-rank, comparable to a Supreme Saint, yet it could not withstand the united assault of the Source Ancestor, the Divine King, and the Saints—it was killed in a single round.

Seeing the ancient demon fall, the Saints all exhaled in relief.

But the Saint Infant kept his gaze fixed on the Immortal Gate, saying: "There's more…"

The Source Ancestor's face darkened; he asked the Saint Infant: "Can you seal it?"

"I can't seal it…"

The Saint Infant, pale-faced, shook his head.

"What are you doing?!"

At that moment, a furious voice suddenly rang out.

The Saints felt their bodies tremble, every muscle tightening—this voice was all too familiar. In the past, its appearance would have ignited their anger, but now it filled them with shame and made them dare not meet its gaze.

Li Hao sprinted at full speed and finally arrived, seeing the Saints within the rifted starry void and the ancient demon's corpse.

His face instantly darkened with fury.

"Hao Tian…"

Seeing Li Hao arrive, the Source Ancestor turned, his expression tinged with shame: "We were wrong before. You've come just in time—can you seal this gap again?"

Li Hao strode forward. The Saints, seeing his furious demeanor, did not feel the usual insult or anger as before; instead, they stepped aside, avoiding his gaze, yet hearing the Source Ancestor's words, a flicker of hope stirred in their hearts.

Li Hao approached the Source Ancestor and saw the broken sword in his hand—his expression changed, turning icy.

He had given this sword to his Shadow Clone, instructing it to guard the entrance of the Yu Xuan Pi Gate. The Shadow Clone could only obey his orders and could not share his memories.

But the sword in the Source Ancestor's hand told Li Hao exactly what they had done.

"You're truly magnificent."

Li Hao bit out each word.

The Source Ancestor noticed Li Hao's gaze, felt guilt, and quickly handed him the sword: "This is your clone's sword. I… I'll make it up to you with something else. But right now, the bigger picture matters—please don't hold a grudge."

Li Hao snatched the sword back, glaring fiercely: "What can you give to make up for it? What I want—can you even provide it? Now you've caused this mess—prepare to become the ancient demon's next meal!"

Hearing Li Hao's words, the Source Ancestor paled; the Saints were stunned and enraged. The Divine King spoke gravely:

"Whatever demand you make, name it. First, seal the gap—otherwise, it'll only get worse."

"Exactly, Hao Tian. Even if we're wrong, blame us later—first seal the gap!"

"If we don't seal it, the ancient demon will come back in!"

The Saints quickly urged.

Li Hao wanted to laugh: "Do you think sealing this gap is as simple as slapping on a patch? Fine—I can seal it. But wasn't it you who reopened the very gap I sealed?"

The Source Ancestor and the Divine King, rebuked by Li Hao, felt their pride sting, yet offered no rebuttal.

The Saints were stunned and furious. The Yin-Yang Sect's Supreme Saint stepped forward:

"Lord Hao Tian, we all beg your forgiveness. First, seal the gap—then we can discuss anything."

Li Hao coldly regarded him, offering no courtesy:

"Don't you understand? The gap I sealed was opened by you. Are the ancient demons outside weaker than you? Don't you think they can break through too?!"

Hearing this, the Saints froze, finally grasping the severity.

Li Hao continued: "I sealed the gap merely to prevent energy leakage. I stationed my clone outside to guard it. If any wandering ancient demon approached and sensed the Yu Xuan Pi Gate's presence, my clone would kill it immediately. Do you really think sealing the gap alone was enough?"

"As soon as this gate is found, the ancient demons will inevitably find a way to attack!"

"Now, you've lured the ancient demons here—the gate has been discovered. What good is sealing this gap?"

Hearing Li Hao's words, the Saints turned pale. Indeed, if they could break the gap he sealed, so could the ancient demons—sealing it again was meaningless.

"So… are we just waiting to die?"

"What if we fight our way out? There are only a dozen or so ancient demons—we kill them all, and the news won't spread."

One Saint hastily suggested.

Li Hao's face changed; he exclaimed in shock and fury: "A dozen?!"

Seeing Li Hao's rage, the Saint's heart jolted; his confidence crumbled: "Y-yes… is that a problem?"

The Source Ancestor and the Divine King fixed their gazes on Li Hao.

Li Hao's face turned glacial: "Even if all dozen die, their leader will trace their path and lingering aura—and then hundreds will come!"

"Hundreds…"

The Saints felt their hearts constrict, as if they could no longer breathe.

A single ancient demon had already taken immense effort to kill—hundreds… unimaginable.

Seeing their expressions, Li Hao showed no mercy, sneering:

"Hundreds is still few. If there's even one leader here, we don't know if the Immortal Gate can hold. If it falls, not just you—all of the Ten Thousand Realms will be lost."

At these words, the Saints' faces turned even paler.

The Source Ancestor clenched his fists, palms slick with cold sweat. He stared at Li Hao: "You must have a solution, right?"

Li Hao glanced at the black mist swirling around the ancient gate—he knew ancient demons were still crawling through. He refused to look longer, turning away:

"The only solution I can think of is to take my friends and hide somewhere. Whether we survive—I don't know."

He turned to leave.

The Source Ancestor rushed after him, blocking his path—rarely showing such desperation:

"Lord Hao Tian, we were wrong. We've apologized. Afterward, whatever you ask, if we can do it, we'll fulfill it fully. But please—for the sake of the countless innocent lives of the Ten Thousand Realms—even if not for us, help them!"

"Help whom?"

Li Hao paused, a mocking smile curling his lips: "Help those who called me selfish and cruel?"

The Source Ancestor and the Saints' faces darkened. Earlier, they had incited their followers to smear Li Hao, trying to pressure the people of the Ten Thousand Realms into exposing his false compassion—now they had shot themselves in the foot.

"That was our mistake—they're innocent. You can't be this selfish."

The Source Ancestor gritted his teeth.

Li Hao sneered: "I have a habit: the more people say I'm something, the more I do it. You say I'm selfish? Fine—I'll show you just how selfish I can be. You asked for this."

"Lord Hao Tian, don't take out your anger on the lives of the Ten Thousand Realms! We beg you!" another Saint pleaded.

Li Hao glanced at the Saint, coldly:

"Anger? I already told you—you gambled with the fate of the Ten Thousand Races. Who told me you could bear the responsibility if the Ten Thousand Realms fell?"

The Saints avoided Li Hao's gaze, ashamed.

Among them, the Saint who had claimed he could bear responsibility lowered his head, wishing he could bury it between his feet.

Li Hao saw their expressions and scoffed:

"And you think I'm just sulking? Now you think I'm all-powerful, capable of solving everything? Let me tell you—even if I forgave you now and wanted to fix this, I can't! The mess you made—you pay for it with your lives!"

He shoved past the Source Ancestor and walked forward.

The Source Ancestor was shoved aside but made no move to fight—any struggle with Li Hao was now meaningless.

As he neared the rift's entrance, Li Hao remembered the Medicine Saint and turned:

"Want to flee together?"

The Medicine Saint froze. She had just wanted to plead with Li Hao—though furious at the Source Ancestor's recklessness, she still couldn't abandon the lives of the world.

But Li Hao's words made her realize—he too was powerless.

"Yes."

She nodded, thinking of her disciples and students—through this catastrophe, at least she must preserve some seeds of life.

ROAR!

No sooner had the Medicine Saint moved than the black mist coalesced at the gate's edge, forming the shape of an ancient demon.

Seeing the demon crawl through, the Saints turned pale, instantly on guard.

The Source Ancestor and the Divine King stepped forward, ready to strike.

Li Hao, seeing the ancient demon he hadn't faced in so long, narrowed his eyes. Seeing it lunge at the Medicine Saint, he instantly launched the broken sword he had just snatched from the Source Ancestor.

THUD!

In an instant, the broken sword pierced the demon's body like a streak of light, shattering its flesh.

Simultaneously, Li Hao's Primordial Spirit slashed out a sword qi, cleaving and annihilating the demon's stunned soul.

Having done this, Li Hao waved his hand, summoning both the newly slain demon and the earlier corpse into his Heavenly Space, then gave the Medicine Saint a slight nod and walked away without looking back.