Chapter 658

After getting to know Sage Flower and Sage Tour, the two Sages also learned that Li Hao was a member of the Flower Tour Society.

"Zhan Tan... I remember that little girl. So it was she who recruited you. Truly good vision," Sage Flower said with a light smile, the butterfly decoration on his head appearing to fly, flapping its wings gently.

"Those little guys are actually still there, which is a fortunate thing. If they were diligent and practiced hard, they might not necessarily have lived so long. Cultivation is a struggle, and struggle means defeat..."

Sage Tour's eyes revealed nostalgia and aftertaste. She looked at the heaven-reaching giant palace in the distance, sighed lightly, and said, "When we saw the world closed, we were disheartened and stopped practicing. We boasted that we saw through the essence of cultivation. Now, peeking at the heaven beyond heaven here, we are just like them, striving for the top, wanting to compete for that Immortal Emperor orthodoxy. So-called 'not competing' is just because the temptation is not enough to move the heart..."

As she spoke, her expression was somewhat lonely.

Li Hao smiled slightly, "There is no need to deliberately pursue this. Follow your heart. If you want it, you want it. You don't have to pretend you don't."

Sage Tour looked back at Li Hao, her eyes brighter, and a shallow smile appeared on her cheeks, which were as moving as clear snow, "You are right. In that case... it would be too pretentious."

The three looked at each other and laughed at the same time.

"Listening to Old Man Wang, you are an Eternal Dao Heart, making the heaven and earth ring nine times. It is hard to imagine what kind of Dao Heart it is. Your talent must be far superior to ours. This Immortal Emperor orthodoxy, you have a high hope. When the time comes, if you become a registered disciple of the Immortal Emperor, we can also ride your wind and take a look at that True Realm."

Sage Flower said to Li Hao, his eyes sincere, thinking highly of Li Hao.

Sage Tour also thought highly of this monstrous newcomer who had just arrived. Previously, not knowing Li Hao's identity, they felt urgent, but now they were relaxed.

Li Hao was about to speak when suddenly a Sage nearby said solemnly, "Sage Mu is going to challenge again!"

Sage Flower and Sage Tour also looked over for the first time, only to see Sage Mu, who had hair like snow, sitting on the prayer mat in front, slowly standing up. His expression could not be seen, but his back was extremely steady, appearing exceptionally solemn.

The other party stood up and paused slightly, then flew toward the front of the dojo.

In front of the dojo, besides the Heavenly Dao Bell, further away was a steep black tower.

Sage Mu flew to the black tower, the tower door opened automatically, and he stepped into it.

"It seems Sage Mu has been stimulated a bit."

"Nonsense, who hasn't been stimulated? My Spear Dao thinking is a bit chaotic."

"I don't know if Sage Mu can break the record this time and persist for a bit longer."

Other Sages all opened their eyes slightly, gazing at the black tower. Many of them glanced toward Li Hao from time to time while talking.

Li Hao's arrival was like a large stone falling into a calm lake, causing huge waves in their hearts. The shock brought by the nine rings of the Heavenly Dao Bell was too unprecedented.

"They are all very concerned about you."

Sage Tour pursed her lips and smiled teasingly, but her eyes lingered on Li Hao. Speaking of concern, how could she and Sage Flower not be concerned about this youth? He was too stunning.

Li Hao smiled bitterly and didn't say anything.

At this time, Sage Flower pinched his fingertips, and a stick of incense appeared, burning on its own, with smoke curling up.

"This is?"

"Helping Sage Mu record his challenge time to see if he can break the previous record and make some progress," Sage Flower said.

Li Hao understood in his heart, and then waited quietly.

As the incense in Sage Flower's hand burned to two-thirds, the black tower suddenly opened, and Sage Mu with snow-white hair walked out from inside, his face somewhat gloomy, returning to the dojo silently.

"A bit shorter than last time."

Sage Flower looked at the incense in his hand, pinched his fingers, and the incense disappeared. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "It seems your arrival has made many people's hearts chaotic."

Li Hao was dumbfounded.

Others also saw this point, shook their heads slightly, glanced at Li Hao again, and then continued to close their eyes and practice.

Sage Tour said to Li Hao, "You don't have to care. Keep it up. We won't delay you either."

Li Hao nodded slightly. When Sage Flower and Sage Tour were ready to practice, he also took out the drawing board and began his own practice.

"You are?"

Sage Tour glanced at Li Hao's actions, couldn't help but be stunned, and then looked at Li Hao in surprise.

Li Hao knew her thoughts and smiled, "Relieve the mood first."

"..."

Sage Tour was somewhat speechless, but couldn't say anything, only saying, "Then when you finish painting, show it to me. I also have some love for this Dao."

Li Hao nodded.

After Sage Flower and Sage Tour each went to practice, he also seriously invested himself in painting.

Painting Dao ten stages already had its own Sage Dao. His paintings contained vigorous heaven and earth power and traces of the Great Dao. At this moment, as he wrote, Li Hao scanned. If he painted the Sages around him, it would inevitably interfere with them with the Great Dao, affecting their practice, which would be somewhat offensive.

But besides figures, he could also paint scenery.

Li Hao looked at the Heavenly Dao Bell in front and his eyes flashed. He immediately began to write and paint.

On the drawing board, he splashed ink, and the ink attracted vast heaven and earth energy, outlining, and the Great Dao was attracted, condensing in the traces of his pen and ink.

With a few strokes, the Great Dao gathered, and the outline of a bell faintly emerged.

Accompanied by the presentation of the Heavenly Dao Bell, it seemed that an extraordinary charm was faintly radiating.

Li Hao's eyes became more focused, his mind immersed in the picture. The bell under his pen became clearer and clearer, lifelike. Accompanied by a bell sound suddenly ringing in his ears, Li Hao felt a surging power rendering out from the drawing paper. That power rushed straight into his mind, and three bell sounds rang out in his heart in succession!

With each vibration of the bell, Li Hao's Primordial Spirit seemed to condense and strengthen accordingly.

It's a pity that his body is Nine-Grade Mixed-Source Divine Blood, equivalent to a Divine Armor, forever fixed and unable to improve. Otherwise, the body would inevitably bring about changes.

"Hmm?"

Sage Flower and Sage Tour beside him both opened their eyes, and other Sages also looked over one after another.

During their practice, they suddenly heard a roar in their hearts, thinking someone was testing the Heavenly Dao Bell again. But opening their eyes, they found the aura of the Heavenly Dao Bell actually appearing beside them. Turning their heads to look, they saw Li Hao sitting on the prayer mat, holding a pen, with thousands of strands of elegant Great Dao gathering at the tip of his pen.

And the Great Dao gathered and circled around this youth. In front of him, the shadow of the Heavenly Dao Bell was suspended in mid-air, like a projection reflected.

"This is?"

Everyone was surprised. If they weren't mistaken, the other party was painting?

"He..."

Sage Tour's beautiful eyes widened, feeling a trace of surprise. She saw that Li Hao seemed to be entering the Dao through painting. This was definitely not a simple interest, and it was even possible he was sacrificing the Dao.

Before the cottage, Old Man Wang was swaying the fan in his hand, the rocking chair swaying gently. Looking at the movement at the prayer mat, his eyes revealed a trace of surprise, and immediately a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. That little guy was truly unexpected. He claimed to master Sword Dao, but actually had this unique skill of Painting Dao.

At this time, Li Hao's pen and ink did not stop. With the splashing, the Great Dao gathered, and the Heavenly Dao Bell also burst into ten thousand rays of light.

And the Heavenly Dao Bell in front of the dojo suddenly seemed to burst into dazzling light, echoing with the Heavenly Dao Bell painted by Li Hao.

Seeing this scene, everyone couldn't help but be shocked.

Except for testing the Dao Heart, the Heavenly Dao Bell was always motionless, with no aura revealed. At this moment, it was actually pulled by the shadow painted by Li Hao. This youth's painting was too powerful! "Entering the Dao through painting? Should he be called Sage Painter?"

"Not to mention, in the Myriad Dao Immortal Method, there is Painting Dao, which shows that there is indeed this school of cultivation in the True Realm."

"He is actually sacrificing the Dao to become a Sage. This comprehension is somewhat powerful. It seems this newcomer is indeed very monstrous." Everyone gazed, valuing Li Hao more and more, and feeling more and more urgent in their hearts.

Previously, Sage Mu and Sage Ming were far ahead, but their progress could be seen, and there was even a glimmer of hope for catching up.

But Li Hao's stunning performance made them feel a strong sense of crisis.

As the misty brilliance on the Heavenly Dao Bell dissipated, Li Hao's painting also stopped. He didn't know when he closed his eyes, his mind immersed in contemplation.

The recent drawing allowed him to peek into a trace of Immortal intent.

He also realized the shortcomings of his own Painting Dao.

Being able to realize shortcomings is a great improvement. If he couldn't find flaws, that would be the time when he was truly stuck in a bottleneck.

"Painting... shape-like, spirit-like, none are true. What is the true essence..."

"Immortal Dao true essence..."

"What is Immortal Dao..."

Many thoughts intertwined in his mind, with confusion, momentary enlightenment, and anxiety about wanting to capture but being unable to.

After a long time, Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, seeing the prompt jumping out before his eyes. Painting Dao experience surged by over ten million, directly filling one-fifth of the experience bar.

Li Hao was shocked in his heart. This was the highest Painting Dao experience he had obtained in a single time so far.

You know, painting a Sage previously only had 300,000 experience.

This is a full ten million!

And ten-stage Painting Dao, the gold content of experience is one level higher than eight or nine stages.

The Heavenly Dao Bell before his eyes is very likely not just an Immortal Treasure, but an extremely extraordinary level.

But Painting Dao ten stages to eleven stages also requires a lot of experience. Previously, his Cooking Dao boiled corpses for twelve years on the Ancient Road before it was perfect. Now, in this place, the Painting Dao experience improvement is skyrocketing.

"I didn't expect you to become a Sage through painting. Powerful."

At this time, Sage Tour's voice came from the side.

Li Hao turned his head and smiled. It can indeed be said so. Back then, at the Supreme Heaven's Pride Battle, he used Sage blood as ink and the firmament as a canvas, breaking through to Painting Dao ten stages in one fell swoop, and then adding points to become a Sage.

"Looking at your appearance, you should be able to pass the first test very soon."

Sage Flower said, feeling somewhat emotional, seeing that Li Hao's talent was truly too strong.

The two of them said a few words to Li Hao and then went to practice on their own. As Sages, who would be willing to fall behind others?

Li Hao also put away the Heavenly Dao Bell he had just painted. He discovered that this was no longer a simple painting, but a Dao Weapon with some functions of the Heavenly Dao Bell!

If he used it to test the Dao Heart, it could also test the four types of Dao Hearts: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow.

But it seemed unable to withstand the higher Chaos Dao Heart.

And this also meant that Li Hao's Painting Dao technique was not enough.

Li Hao painted again, directly using the heaven and earth before his eyes as a canvas, and the heaven and earth energy gathered at will as ink, and the Great Dao as a pen.

With his free and easy depiction, the second Heavenly Dao Bell also emerged again.

The bell sound rang out, echoing not only in Li Hao's heart but also in the hearts of everyone around him.

Some Sages opened their eyes. Seeing Li Hao's focused appearance, they knew Li Hao was not intentional, just a natural influence brought by cultivation, and immediately set up a Dao Domain around themselves to isolate the influence.

Soon, the second Heavenly Dao Bell was finished, and Li Hao faintly captured some insights, but it was not as obvious as the first time.

This time, the bell sound was still four rings, but the lingering sound of the fourth ring was longer.

Li Hao continued to paint the third, fourth... As one painting of the Heavenly Dao Bell after another appeared, Li Hao's Painting Dao experience improved rapidly.

In just two days, Li Hao finished seven paintings, and his Painting Dao experience had long been perfect.

But experience is easy to rise, and the state of mind is difficult to realize.

Painting to the back, Li Hao didn't have the feeling he had earlier. He knew he needed an opportunity, and this opportunity could not be brought by continuing to repeat painting. It needed some changes and accidents to be obtained.

Li Hao stopped painting, stood up from the prayer mat, and wandered around the surroundings.

Seeing Li Hao moving around, Old Man Wang called him over and told Li Hao some places he could go and places he couldn't.

The place where he could stay here was not big. The heaven-reaching giant palace in the distance could not be climbed before passing the test. The steps outside the Heavenly Calamity Palace could only be stepped on by True Immortals; otherwise, they would be instantly shattered by the Immortal Might of the Emperor Palace, and the Sage Dao would fall.

Li Hao was somewhat bored and asked, "Senior, you have been staying here all the time, aren't you bored?"

"Bored?"

Old Man Wang laughed and said, "When you have seen all the prosperity, you will want to find a quiet place, stay alone quietly, do nothing, think of nothing. Only then will you not feel bored, but instead feel very happy."

Li Hao could not yet understand the feeling he spoke of, because he still had many places he wanted to go, many sceneries he wanted to see, and many people he wanted to meet.

"Compared to those old friends, I am considered the happiest."

Old Man Wang said softly, a flash of sadness in his eyes, but it disappeared in an instant, and he smiled again, "Your soul-life is too short, less than a hundred years. It is normal for you to feel bored. Others who come here have been here for a very, very long time."

Li Hao nodded, looked at the fertile fields not far away, and had a sudden thought, "Senior, why don't you teach me how to farm?"

"Farm?"

Old Man Wang was stunned. Seeing Li Hao's gaze, he couldn't help but laugh dumbly and said, "Aren't you going to seize the opportunity to cultivate? You previously said your Myriad Dao Immortal Method was to choose Sword Dao, but you have been cultivating Painting Dao for the past few days, and you haven't touched that Yama Immortal Method either."

"No hurry, no hurry. Cultivation is not climbing a mountain. Once you reach the top, you are free in the sky."

Li Hao said with a smile.

Old Man Wang clearly hadn't heard such a saying, but after pondering, he felt it had some truth.

It's just that this is cultivating ordinary techniques. Peerless monsters might not need day and night hard practice for sudden enlightenment. But this is the Immortal Dao method. Those who are not truly talented monsters find it difficult to have sudden enlightenment and can only rely on day and night hard practice to improve proficiency and step-by-step insights to break through the final bottleneck.

"There are two kinds of people in the world. One is that the feet haven't moved, but the eyes have already seen the end. This is called a genius. One is that they can only see the tips of their toes, traveling long distances, but day and night without rest, finally passing through the faint light of the tips of their toes to reach the end. This is a diligent person."

Old Man Wang said meaningfully, "Those who come here have all been geniuses, but before the Immortal Dao method, they can only peek at the faint light of the tips of their toes. If there is no courage and perseverance to travel long distances, and they give up halfway, that is the third kind—neither talented nor diligent enough, just a piece of rotten mud resting halfway."

Li Hao heard the warning in his words and smiled, "But there is a fourth kind of person, which is standing in place, not wanting to go anywhere, not wanting to take a single step."

Old Man Wang was stunned. Seeing the smile on Li Hao's face, that bright feeling made him have a moment of trance.

He suddenly thought of the other party's Dao Heart—the direction of the heart, the action of the heart, knowing and doing as one, surpassing the Sage Dao.

The other party has such a Dao Heart, and naturally has such a state of mind.

He felt relieved in his heart and laughed, "Will this fourth kind of person turn the starting point into the end point?"

"The so-called end point is set by oneself. Some people's end point is crossing a river, some people's end point is climbing a mountain, and my end point is standing in place, and then quietly watching them run in the sunset."

Li Hao said with a smile.

(End of chapter)