Chapter 663: The Third Trial, the Path to the True Immortal Realm

"Hao Tian, I heard from Elder Wang that you have already passed the first trial?"

As soon as Li Hao arrived, a Sage questioned him.

Li Hao looked toward the person who asked; although the other party's gaze seemed sincere, there was a trace of skepticism in the depths of their eyes.

"Yes."

Li Hao nodded slightly, not paying much mind to it.

"Hao Tian, this is your first time challenging the True Venerable Tower. How did you manage to persist for so long?"

Another Sage asked out of curiosity, their eyes faintly carrying a trace of admiration for Li Hao. Among those present, although there were those who were jealous, some could see Li Hao's potential and wanted to take the opportunity to befriend him.

Flower Sage and Wanderer Sage were also gazing at Li Hao from within the crowd. They did not ask; they believed Li Hao had not taken any shortcuts. After all, those who could join the Flower Wanderer Society could not be bad people, and furthermore, Elder Wang was such a figure that there was no need for him to deceive them.

"By running, I suppose. Just constantly running."

Li Hao responded to that person: "The projection inside is truly very strong; it is impossible to engage in a head-on battle."

Hearing Li Hao's words, Lin Sheng, Bright Sage, and Shepherd Sage all had their eyes flicker. They all had deep personal experience with the ferocity of that projection.

But running... it wasn't as if one could just run whenever they wanted to.

"Even if it's running, it should be very difficult, right? After all, every aspect of the projection inside can crush one's own self. Could it be that you had an epiphany about something while inside?"

The person who had previously asked Li Hao about passing the trial revealed a puzzled expression.

Li Hao smiled slightly and did not respond.

After all, this trial itself is secretive and involves one's own various trump cards and methods; the other party's question was already somewhat offensive.

"There shouldn't be any tricks to the True Venerable Tower challenge, right? Hao Tian must have had some epiphany that made the projection unable to mirror him, which is why he could persist for so long, right?" Bright Sage suddenly spoke up. His voice was calm, but his gaze was directed at Elder Wang.

Clearly, he had doubts about Elder Wang's credibility. If it wasn't an epiphany, then it could only be a shortcut taught by Elder Wang; otherwise, he absolutely did not believe that someone could last so long under that terrifying projection on their first challenge.

Running? That projection's speed was even faster!

Elder Wang felt Bright Sage's gaze; how could he not see through this little fellow's thoughts? He smiled lightly and said to Li Hao:

"You brat, you hide things quite deeply. I underestimated you before."

Li Hao scratched his head, not knowing which aspect he was referring to.

"You all need to work hard as well and cultivate properly. Hao Tian, come with me."

Elder Wang looked around at the crowd and said to Li Hao.

Li Hao nodded.

Seeing the way Elder Wang favored Li Hao, everyone had complex expressions.

Bright Sage, Shepherd Sage, and Lin Sheng looked at each other, all feeling a strong sense of crisis from Li Hao. Especially Lin Sheng; he had only passed the first trial not long ago, and now his time challenging the True Venerable Tower hadn't even lasted as long as Li Hao's—not even half a stick of incense—and as for the method to defeat that projection, he had absolutely no clue.

Just as he was about to catch up with the main group and close the distance with Shepherd Sage and Bright Sage, he ended up being crushed and surpassed by Li Hao. It was as if cold water had been poured over the years of pursuit and the ambition that had just ignited within him.

The crowd whispered, all discussing Li Hao's challenge to the True Venerable Tower, all guessing who would be the first to reach the third step and seize the Immortal Emperor's orthodoxy.

Bright Sage and Lin Sheng looked at each other, but instead of continuing their closed-door cultivation, they reached a tacit understanding and stood up simultaneously, flying toward Elder Wang's hut.

Elder Wang had brought Li Hao back and casually set up a sound-dampening barrier around them. He was just about to tell Li Hao about the immortal techniques for the third trial and the path to ascending to the True Immortal Realm, including the various distinctions of the True Immortal Realm. The two had just sat down in front of the wooden stakes when, before Elder Wang could speak, they saw three figures flying over with the sound of breaking air.

"Elder Wang."

Seeing Elder Wang frown as he looked over, the three of them revealed somewhat sheepish smiles, though they felt uncomfortable inside. They had been here for an extremely long time, after all, and had been extremely attentive to Elder Wang, yet now they were being treated with "new love replacing the old."

Although they were dissatisfied in their hearts, they did not show it on their faces; instead, they were full of smiles.

"What are you all doing here?"

Elder Wang asked.

Bright Sage bowed slightly and said with a smile: "Elder Wang, we have also come to learn from you and listen to your teachings."

Elder Wang shook his head slightly in his heart and directly pierced through their thoughts, saying: "Do you think that Hao Tian being able to persist for so long in the True Venerable Tower is because of my guidance? Very well, for the sake of your diligence and obedience over these years, I will use Hao Tian to give you your first lesson."

"Hm?"

The three were exposed by Elder Wang, and although they showed a trace of embarrassment on their faces, they didn't think much of it in their hearts. After all, it wasn't just them who thought this way; others would think so too. Moreover, this was highly likely to be the truth.

Hearing that Elder Wang was going to give them a lesson, all three revealed expectant expressions, while simultaneously glancing at Li Hao. Was he planning to pass that technique on to them as well?

"This first lesson..."

Elder Wang's expression was indifferent. He paused for a moment before saying: "It is to learn to acknowledge the excellence of others."

The three: "..."

Elder Wang ignored their slightly frozen smiles and said indifferently: "When you go to the True Realm in the future, if there is still a fraction of the prosperity of the past there, you will see even more monsters. They have high origins and deep foundations; some have bathed in immortal medicine since childhood and treated Dao fruits as snacks. Cultivating the same technique, they will be a hundred or a thousand times faster than you!"

"There are others who also have no foundation, but they are just intelligent, possess peerless talent, and have sharp minds, allowing them to rise from humble beginnings and compete with the geniuses of those great powers, carving out their own prestige."

"When that time comes, will you also compare yourselves to them, be jealous, and be angry?"

The three's expressions changed; their thoughts were completely seen through, including the anger and jealousy in their hearts, which made them afraid to look Elder Wang in the eye.

"Hao Tian's talent far surpasses yours. I haven't taught him anything regarding the trial, but he played chess with me for three years, only using his spare time to secretly ponder on his own, and he cultivated the Yama Immortal Technique to the level of Origin True Intent. This can only mean that his foundation from the past already exceeds yours!"

Bright Sage, Shepherd Sage, and Lin Sheng looked at Li Hao, but their eyes carried a trace of doubt.

After all, the aura of tribulation power Li Hao radiated was only at the level of a Two-Calamity Sage, while all three of them had long since been Supreme Sages!

"If you have the mind to ponder blindly like this, you might as well work harder. Your aptitude in the True Realm can only be considered average, while Hao Tian is enough to be called a genius even in the True Realm!"

Elder Wang said bluntly.

Hearing his words, the three's expressions changed, all looking somewhat ugly.

Having heard Elder Wang reminisce about many things in the True Realm before, they knew Elder Wang was right; he had long since said their aptitude could only be considered medium.

It was just that the aptitude of this young man beside them could be considered a genius even in that True Realm filled with countless monsters?

Three years—could it really be that he relied on himself?

"Go now, don't waste time here. I am going to teach Hao Tian the immortal technique for the third trial and the path to ascending to the True Immortal Realm."

Elder Wang waved his hand to drive them away.

The three, who had been feeling anxious, were stunned upon hearing this, and then widened their eyes, staring blankly at Elder Wang.

"Elder Wang, you, you are being too biased, aren't you?" Bright Sage couldn't help but say.

He had helped Elder Wang massage his legs and shoulders, spending hundreds of years serving him. The other party had told him time and again that he couldn't help with hints or suggestions regarding the trial, but he remained enthusiastic, wanting to show his sincerity.

In the end, he did indeed let Elder Wang see his sincerity, but he still didn't receive any help. Instead, Elder Wang had planned to teach him the method of cultivating immortal medicine, but with the Immortal Emperor's orthodoxy right before his eyes, how could he have the heart to ponder that immortal medicine cultivation? He had declined on the spot.

Shepherd Sage and Lin Sheng also stared fixedly at Elder Wang; although they didn't speak, their expressions were the same as Bright Sage's.

Seeing the three of them getting anxious, Elder Wang was very indifferent, saying:

"What kind of bias is this? Hao Tian has already passed the second trial and passed the first layer of the True Venerable Tower. When you can pass it, I will also teach you the immortal technique for the third trial, but for you now, it is still too early."

These words were like a bolt from the blue. The three were stunned for a moment, and then their brains exploded with a roar, leaving them somewhat blank.

After a long while, the three finally came to their senses, looking at Elder Wang in astonishment, and then looking at Li Hao.

"He, he passed the True Venerable Tower trial? The first layer? Could it be that there is a second layer?" Shepherd Sage couldn't help but say, his expression somewhat uncontrollably uncomposed.

Hearing Elder Wang's words, Li Hao secretly thought to himself that it was as expected; the eye contact inside the tower before was not an illusion. Others seemed unable to see his situation inside the tower, but Elder Wang could.

But, this True Venerable Tower actually had two layers?

"The True Venerable Tower has a total of three layers, corresponding to the trials for registered disciples, formal disciples, and the Immortal Emperor's personal disciples, respectively!"

"Of course, for personal disciples, besides the True Venerable Tower trial, there are others, but you don't need to know about that."

Elder Wang said calmly: "For the first layer of the True Venerable Tower challenge, your projections are only twice your strength; for the second layer, it is five times! For the third layer, it is ten times!"

"Ten times..."

Not only were the three stunned, but Li Hao also widened his eyes slightly.

So that meant he had gone to the second layer before?

No wonder he felt that the projection's aura was much stronger than his own, at least four or five times.

And then he was killed in seconds.

As it turned out, there was still a third layer behind it, and it was ten times?!

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Li Hao couldn't imagine what it would be like if his own strength were increased tenfold; he felt he could slaughter everyone in the True Immortal Realm.

The second-layer projection he encountered before already felt like it possessed such combat power, and if it were ten times...

"For the Immortal Emperor's personal disciples, passing the third layer of the trial is just the simplest part of the many trials."

Elder Wang said coldly: "Since this trial exists, you should know that naturally, there will be people who can pass it. You should also understand the principle that there is always a heaven beyond heaven; it's just that you haven't encountered it. Now, Hao Tian should be considered the first 'heaven' you have come into contact with!"

Hearing his words, the three looked at Li Hao, their expressions becoming complex.

Was the young man before them really that terrifying?

"Go."

Elder Wang didn't say anything more and waved his hand to urge them away: "I didn't tell you about Hao Tian passing before because I was afraid of discouraging you."

Although he wanted to use Li Hao to stimulate them to cultivate diligently, he also knew that Li Hao was too monstrous for them, and over-stimulating them would only be counterproductive, making them despair and lose the motivation to cultivate.

The three felt a sense of tightness in their chests, but they still bowed to Elder Wang to take their leave and turned to depart, though their minds were somewhat dazed.

After they left, the coldness on Elder Wang's face faded. He looked at Li Hao and gave him a sideways glance, saying:

"If I had known you brat were so smart, I wouldn't have delayed you these past few years. In the days to come, you must cultivate properly. Being able to pass the True Venerable Tower on your first challenge—although I don't know if it was because of an epiphany—you now have a glimmer of hope to become a formal disciple of the Immortal Emperor."

"Don't miss this opportunity; you must grasp it and cultivate well."

Li Hao was speechless; he was most afraid of others urging him to cultivate.

After all, he was already working very hard...

"Um, Elder Wang, these are two different things; it doesn't affect anything." Li Hao tried to persuade him.

Upon hearing this, Elder Wang immediately felt a surge of anger; this was clearly telling him, "I still want to play!"

"You, you, you—what do you want me to say about you? That is the Immortal Emperor's orthodoxy, a formal disciple! Do you know what it means that you passed the trial?"

"It means becoming a formal disciple?"

"..."

Elder Wang's eyes were about to roll to the sky; he felt he was playing the lute to a cow, and he had an absurd feeling.

Since when did the Immortal Emperor's orthodoxy get laid out, and it still needed others to urge someone?

Wasn't that something everyone fought over?

"I let them challenge for registered disciples before because I knew that the inheritance of Immortals and Gods outside had been severed, and for them to produce a registered disciple was already the limit. And that great battle back then was too tragic; the Immortal Emperor originally also thought that the orthodoxy should first be partially mastered by registered disciples, and wait for their subsequent performance. If they got better and better, they would have hope of becoming true disciples, and then more benefits of the orthodoxy could be unlocked."

Elder Wang said to Li Hao: "If you can become a formal disciple, it is equivalent to obtaining cultivation resources that lead directly to the Immortal Monarch Realm, and if you step up a bit more and work harder yourself, you have hope of becoming an Immortal King!"

"That is a presence that is a hegemon in the True Realm, second only to the Immortal Emperor. Everywhere you go, people from all directions come to worship. How magnificent and glorious that is!"

Li Hao was somewhat surprised and said: "That generous?"

"Otherwise? This is still because of that battle back then; many things were lost, and resources are not that plentiful. If the Immortal Emperor were still alive, in the most prosperous period of the True Realm, becoming a formal disciple of the Immortal Emperor would mean becoming a future Immortal King!"

Elder Wang said irritably.

Li Hao nodded, his heart also feeling somewhat heated, and said: "Then I will try my best."

However, thinking of the terror of that second-layer projection, he also felt somewhat hesitant in his heart.

But fortunately, his Transcendent Chess Heart hadn't been embedded yet. If he embedded the Movement Dao, perhaps he would have a twenty percent chance.

That's right, only twenty percent. After all, that projection was far too strong in every aspect compared to himself. From quantitative change to qualitative change, even if his movement technique was at the tenth stage, it might only be slightly higher than the five-fold projection, which couldn't make up for the other gaps.

Seeing Li Hao say this, Elder Wang finally felt a sense of relief and then said: "Since you have this glimmer of hope, you must grasp it. I will also treat you as a formal disciple challenge. Passing the first trial within three years—this speed is indeed consistent with a formal disciple, and there is even a surplus."

He said, then continued: "Next, you must strive to pass the second layer of the True Venerable Tower. As for the third layer, don't even think about it."

"Now, I will first teach you the immortal technique for ascending to the True Immortal Realm."

Elder Wang's expression became serious: "The Sage level is just condensing one's own Sage Dao from the Great Dao. When this Sage Dao is cultivated to the extreme, one can faintly sense a trace of Heaven's Will. This is the Supreme Sage, which is the Great Perfection of the Sage level!"

"But to become an Immortal, one must have one's own Sage Dao recognized by Heaven and Earth. That is to prove the Dao to Heaven!"

"Proving the Dao to Heaven requires comprehending the Origin True Intent of the Sage Dao!"

"That is the realm of the first trial. In other words, those who could pass the first trial before all possess the qualifications to ascend to the True Immortal Realm!"

Elder Wang said, his gaze sweeping toward the three who had already returned to their cushions.

In tens of thousands of years here, only three people had been born who had cultivated the qualifications to ascend to the True Immortal Realm.

"But this is only an ordinary True Immortal Realm."

Elder Wang said: "I told you before, the third trial is to condense the Three-Seal Immortal Seal, also commonly known as the Three-Flower Immortal Seal!"

"Mastering one Origin True Intent allows one to condense a One-Flower Immortal Seal. The Three-Flower Immortal Seal means three paths—all must comprehend the Origin True Intent of the Great Dao to work!"

"And for a formal disciple, nine-flower Immortal Seals are required!"

"Furthermore, the soul lifespan must be within ten thousand years."

He stared at Li Hao. When Li Hao first arrived, he saw that Li Hao's soul lifespan was no more than a hundred years. Being able to cultivate to such a state, in his past experience, the young man before him had a chance to become a formal disciple.

"Nine-flower Immortal Seal?"

Li Hao was slightly startled and said: "That means condensing nine types of Origin True Intent?"

"That's right."

"What about personal disciples?"

Li Hao asked out of curiosity.

Nine was usually a symbol of the extreme number, but occasionally it was also an actual number.

"Personal disciples—that's difficult."

Elder Wang shook his head slightly and said: "The Immortal Seal carries nine flowers, which is basically the limit. Continuing to condense more Sage Dao Origin True Intents is useless; they cannot be inscribed onto the Immortal Seal. The Nine-Flower Immortal Seal is already the limit of the Immortal Seal. But there is no absolute; if one takes it a step further, it is the Dao Origin Immortal Seal, which is rare even in the Myriad Worlds."

"But wanting to make the Nine-Flower Immortal Seal transform into a Dao Origin Immortal Seal is not just about talent, but also about opportunities brewed from various aspects. In short, you don't need to consider this point. Being able to condense a Nine-Flower Immortal Seal is already a top-tier True Immortal Realm genius in the True Realm!"

【End of chapter】 ===== CHAPTER 664 =====