Chapter 734: Primordial Exchange

"No problem, let's go first."

The noble woman, as ethereal as a celestial fairy, spoke calmly.

The few beside her, upon hearing her speak, cast glances filled with reverence and fell silent.

Whoosh!

As the noblewoman stepped forward as if teleporting onto the bridge, faint void cracks lingered in the air beside her—her path, stronger than the power of the Final Void Extreme; where even the Final Void could not pierce space, she still forcibly carved open pathways, for her space Dao realm had reached the terrifying fifth tier.

Upon landing on the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, the radiant light upon the bridge immediately summoned celestial arts that locked onto the noblewoman.

Yet the noblewoman remained expressionless and still; the space around her body subtly warped, causing the newly formed celestial arts to instantly lose their target and lash out at those around her.

The few royal clan members following behind her stared with solemn astonishment at the surroundings.

On the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, they finally felt its oppressive weight, and the aura of others battling celestial arts on the bridge carried an intimidating force that pressed upon them.

Yet now, none of these celestial arts sensed them at all—following the Heavenly Pond Princess, they seemed detached from the world,

isolated, untouched by dust or matter.

But their unusual demeanor soon drew attention from others on and beneath the bridge.

"Who are those people? How can they bypass the celestial arts entirely?"

"Even that ninth-layer True Immortal managed it. Aren't they all Immortal Lords? It's not surprising they can do the same."

"It has nothing to do with realm—it depends on one's Dao comprehension. That True Immortal vanished somewhere; don't underestimate him. To master both time and space Dao simultaneously? He's a top-tier prodigy."

"These are royal clan members of the Jiang Rongxian Dynasty—likely their leaders."

"I heard the Jiang Rongxian Dynasty has a princess who's terrifying—she slaughtered three thousand ancient demons in a single night on the border. Could she be the one walking ahead?"

Beneath the bridge, prodigies from various Immortal Dynasties gathered, mostly royal clan members from other dynasties.

After all, royal clans within each Qin Xianchao held the most elite cultivation techniques, foundational resources, and training materials. Though their soul lifespan was limited to three thousand years, reincarnation allowed prodigies or chaotic beings to be reborn into royal bloodlines, leveraging their ancestral resources to cultivate and grow—nothing unusual.

This made royal clans across all Immortal Dynasties exceptionally powerful.

"This mastery of space Dao's primordial realm is no simple thing."

Someone noticed the strange fluctuations around the noblewoman and frowned deeply.

All present Immortal Dynasties were competitors seven years hence—this was a rare chance to glimpse rivals' true strength.

Hearing the murmurs below, Jiang Jiang Tianchi remained calm, her expression unchanged; the power she displayed was but a fraction of her true might.

Besides, true masters cared nothing for concealment—like those Immortal Emperors standing atop the peaks, shining like the moon illuminating all things, everyone knew their greatness, yet who could challenge them?

"You should also seek your own Dao's primordial source."

Jiang Jiang Tianchi, shielding her kin as she walked to the middle of the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, still felt no ripple of space Dao's primordial source. She furrowed her brow and spoke to those behind her.

They nodded, stepping out from her spatial protection, bowed slightly, then scattered—immediately, celestial arts surged toward them, yet each unleashed their own power and clashed with the attacks.

Meanwhile, Jiang Jiang Tianchi quickened her pace, rushing deeper into the Bridge of Heaven's Dao.

When she reached the bridge's depths, she saw mist shrouding everything, her spiritual sense unable to penetrate.

Her Primordial Spirit Extreme had long been shattered; she had forged Golden Veins and Divine Bones—this was why she could effortlessly slay ancient demons of her own realm.

Yet now, even her spiritual sense was hindered, compressed into an extremely narrow range.

She abandoned using her spiritual sense and instead relied on her space Dao realm to sense the surrounding Dao's primordial source.

"Hmm?"

Jiang Jiang Tianchi wandered and teleported swiftly, yet sensed no ripple of space Dao's primordial source.

None of the radiant lights above were space primordial.

"Could it not have emerged yet?"

Her eyes flickered; she did not grow impatient, but settled quietly to wait.

The space around her warped into another realm, rendering celestial arts unable to detect her—being here was surprisingly easy.

But as time passed, she realized she still felt no trace of space Dao's primordial essence.

Her mood shifted subtly; her brow tightened. If even she, with her space Dao realm, could not sense its presence, no one else could possibly do so.

"What's going on?"

In that moment, she finally understood why so many remained on the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, raging in fury.

"Strange—there are no Nine Orders primordial sources on this bridge."

"Could they all still be lingering in the Primordial City?"

"Impossible. This has never happened before."

Outside the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, hidden guardians from each Qin Xianchao frowned in confusion, sensing the anomaly on the bridge.

"Though time and space primordial sources are extremely rare—perhaps only one appears per month—the other Nine Orders sources are somewhat more frequent. Could they all be waiting for the time-space primordial?"

Seeing their own dynasty's top prodigies lingering on the bridge, each Qin Xianchao's guardians furrowed their brows.

On the Bridge of Heaven's Dao.

As more climbers ascended, the bridge grew crowded, celestial arts erupted more violently, and tensions among the Immortal Dynasties on the bridge steadily rose.

"Make way—this area belongs to the Emperor Tianzhao Qin Xianchao. Cross this boundary, and don't blame us for being uncivil."

"Yours? Mine? Does the Bridge of Heaven's Dao have territories for the Emperor Tianzhao Qin Xianchao? Don't hog the latrine. Maybe time primordial is hidden right here—let me search!"

Chaos erupted on the bridge as prodigies and royal clan members from various Immortal Dynasties clashed.

Seeing this, the guardians of each dynasty tensed—should any life be threatened, they would have to intervene.

"What's happening?"

Chu Chu Tianhuang was also on the Bridge of Heaven's Dao; he, too, had found no time-space primordial, his face darkening.

After circling for a long while without finding the time-space primordial,

his hope of reaching the Time-Space Primordial City had shattered; he even considered going to another primordial city.

But he sensed no Dao primordial in the others either—his mood grew anxious.

"Emotion Dao, Buddhist Dao, Yin-Yang Dao..."

"Damn it—all not Nine Orders!"

In the mist deep within the bridge, Chu Master Yue Li also wore a furious expression, sensing many Dao sources, some extremely potent—but none were Nine Orders.

For her, coming here to cultivate meant entering at least the Five Dao Primordial City; if she only entered the Chaotic Primordial City to study the myriad Dao of the True World, it would be far too scattered.

"There are more people here now—could they all have been taken by others?"

Chu Master Yue Li's expression was grim; the marriage arrangement message from her mother weighed heavily on her heart.

She had planned to swiftly find the time-space Dao primordial, enter the Time-Space Primordial City early, and use these seven years of primordial cultivation to advance further—but now she was stuck on this bridge.

"Space Dao..."

In another misty corner, Jiang Jiang Tianchi wandered aimlessly, her gaze dark. She had been here for half a month and still had not found the space Dao primordial.

For her, with her space Dao realm, this was utterly inconceivable.

Matter.

"There seem to be more people here now."

On another side, Li Hao stood within the mist, still fishing for countless Dao sources.

Aside from the Nine Orders, he had already caught many other Dao primordial sources, storing them in his Heavenly-Spatial Realm.

And he had already caught many Nine Orders Dao primordial sources—all kept within his Heavenly-Spatial Realm.

His fishing experience was nearly at the eleventh tier's perfection; all that remained was heart-mind comprehension.

"Another space Dao?"

At that moment, Li Hao sensed a faint, elusive aura; his eyes brightened, and he swiftly cast time as a net, chasing after the space Dao primordial.

Meanwhile, Jiang Jiang Tianchi, walking through the mist, suddenly changed expression and turned sharply toward a certain spot.

Though the ripple was extremely faint, she still sensed it keenly.

Space Dao primordial... finally arrived!

Her eyes glowed faintly; her figure shot forward in an instant.

After searching for half a month, her Immortal energy had been constantly spent maintaining warped space. She had planned to leave today, rest, replenish her energy, and return—yet now, she sensed the space Dao ripple. Thank heavens she hadn't moved yet—if she had left the bridge, she would have missed it entirely!

As she raced after it, she silently rejoiced.

Whoosh!

Li Hao quickly locked onto the space Dao primordial's location; time became countless threads of light, swiftly chasing it, soon entangling the primordial source.

With prior experience and insights from fishing on the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, he caught this space Dao primordial effortlessly.

"Reel in!?"

As time, like beams of light, sealed the space Dao primordial, Li Hao yanked sharply—using time's power to drag space—within an instant, he pulled the primordial source to his side.

The space Dao primordial still struggled, but it was now trapped within Li Hao's palm, imprisoned in a tiny pocket of time, motionless.

Li Hao was about to store it in his Heavenly-Spatial Realm when suddenly, a force tore through the mist—a figure pierced the fog, advancing with a sweeping motion, robes fluttering, appearing like a celestial fairy descending to the mortal world.

"Hmm?"

Li Hao looked at the newcomer; Jiang Jiang Tianchi looked at Li Hao. Their gazes met, and Jiang Jiang Tianchi's eyes instantly locked onto the space Dao primordial in Li Hao's hand.

She froze—she had just sensed the space Dao primordial, and now someone else had seized it.

Quickly, she sensed Li Hao's aura—he was only a True Immortal, ninth layer.

Ninth level of the realm.

So swift... Her eyes trembled slightly. A mere True Immortal had found and captured the space Dao primordial before her.

Clearly, the space Dao had appeared right beside him—that's why he got there first.

"Give it to me!"

She immediately commanded Li Hao, her tone carrying an air of absolute authority.

Li Hao raised an eyebrow, frowning. The other was at the Immortal Lord realm; though their aura was restrained, it carried a terrifying sensation—like Chu Chu Tianhuang—exuding a sense of danger.

"I found it first."

Li Hao said.

Jiang Jiang Tianchi's gaze flickered; only now did he remember this was the Bridge of Heaven's Dao, not the Jiang Rongxian Dynasty. His imperial status was exalted within Jiang Rong, but here, all were competitors.

Her expression softened slightly. "Which Qin Xianchao are you from? You don't look like royalty."

"Why ask?"

Li Hao said.

"I am of the Jiang Rongxian Dynasty. If you come to my dynasty, I swear by my Jiang family's imperial blood to grant you the rank of First-Class Marquis, bestow great treasures and the incense offerings of a hundred cities, ensuring your name endures for ten thousand generations!"

Jiang said.

Li Hao raised an eyebrow slightly. Jiang… he thought of Emperor Yu. He too bore the surname Jiang.

But countless people shared the same surname. His thought of Emperor Yu was not out of anything else—merely a fleeting nostalgia for those times of playing go and gathering together.

In the myriad heavens, he had already settled Emperor Yu safely.

"If you want it, exchange is not impossible."

Li Hao said.

Besides this one, he held two other sources of Spatial Dao.

During this time spent fishing here, he had already collected multiple sets of the Nine Sequences Dao, save for the Golden Dao, which he had yet to find.

Hearing Li Hao's words, Jiang Jiang Tianchi's eyes brightened noticeably. If he was willing to exchange, there was hope.

Though the boy before her was merely a True Immortal, easily crushed with a wave of the hand, she had sensed the faint traces of space and time around him—and to come alone to the Bridge of Heaven's Dao suggested he might also be a Nine-Flower Immortal Seal bearer!

These clues revealed a vital fact: such a top-tier prodigy must possess a supreme Immortal weapon.

If she tried to seize it by force, she might not break through his Immortal weapon in a moment. Then, if he used the Spatial Dao source to flee directly into the Spatial Origin City, she'd only be able to watch helplessly.

"I can swear right now—"

Jiang Jiang Tianchi assumed Li Hao was tempted and moved to swear an oath.

Li Hao quickly stopped her. "What I want to exchange isn't this—it's something else."

"Something else?"

Jiang Jiang Tianchi froze. The best thing she could immediately offer was already the highest she could conceive: the rank of First-Class Marquis of Jiang Rong—a position equal to a Supreme General. Though it carried no military command, its status rivaled that of the sect leaders within the Qin Xianchao.

Even Immortal Kings among the sect leaders dared not insult him!

"Correct. Your vast Qin Xianchao must have legendary go manuals, qin scores, and such. Find me some."

Li Hao said.

Jiang Jiang Tianchi blinked, stunned, staring at the boy—first time she doubted her own cultivation, wondering if her ears had failed.

"Go manuals? Qin scores?"

She couldn't help asking: "Did you mean sword manuals or spear techniques?"

"I didn't misstate."

Li Hao said: "Just say whether you agree or not."

"This… this is no problem at all."

Jiang Jiang Tianchi answered without hesitation.

Li Hao nodded. "Also, Immortal Stones—I'm short on them. How much do you have?"

"Immortal Stones?"

Jiang Jiang Tianchi breathed a sigh of relief—finally, a reasonable request. She raised her hand and opened a space within heaven and earth. "I carry only two hundred thousand Immortal Stones on me. Whatever you need beyond that, I'll make up later."

"Only…?"

Li Hao's lips twitched. No wonder they were royalty—filthy rich. "The more, the better. Give me these two hundred thousand first. The rest—do what you can."

Saying this, he no longer wasted words and tossed the Spatial Dao source to her.

Jiang Jiang Tianchi reached out and caught it, bewildered. She carefully probed it—and then fell silent again.

This was truly the Spatial Dao source. How could she have doubted its authenticity?

She looked at the boy, her gaze strange, yet kept her word, withdrawing the two hundred thousand Immortal Stones from her space, all neatly stored in a delicate brocade pouch.

"Count them. I can still give you another three hundred thousand."

Jiang said: "You'll join the Southern Domain War in seven years, right? I'll give you the rest then."

"Fine."

Li Hao nodded. Top prodigies like these wouldn't likely break their oaths.

Besides, two hundred thousand Immortal Stones were enough to carry him to the tenth layer of True Immortal realm.

Aside from Immortal Stones, he couldn't think of anything else he truly lacked.

Immortal weapons… he had Taowu. As for higher-grade Immortal King artifacts—even if he obtained them, he couldn't control them, and might even invite danger.

After all, Domain artifacts, usable only by Immortal Kings, possessed soul-entities of terrifying power—even Immortal Lords struggled to control them.

"Anything else?"

Jiang Jiang Tianchi asked.

"No."

Li Hao shook his head and turned. "Then we'll settle the rest in seven years."

Saying this, he walked away without looking back, showing no hesitation.

Jiang Jiang Tianchi stared blankly. Only when Li Hao's figure vanished into the mist did she realize she hadn't asked his name.

"This…"

Looking at the Spatial Dao source in her hand, she finally felt this wasn't a dream. This strange boy—she had never seen his like.

After a moment's flicker in her eyes, she shook her head slightly, didn't linger, and swiftly used the Spatial Dao source to open a passage to the Spatial Origin City, her form vanishing from the Bridge of Heaven's Dao.

"Two hundred thousand Immortal Stones are enough to carry me to Immortal Lord realm. But to break through the True Immortal bottleneck, I still need faster progress."

In the mist, Li Hao checked the pouch—Immortal Stones piled like mountains, exactly two hundred thousand.

To him, extra sources of the Nine Sequences Dao were useless. Gu Yan and the others hadn't even arrived in the Origin Secret Realm yet, let alone reached the Bridge of Heaven's Dao.

Li Hao found a spot and resumed fishing.

"The surplus Nine Sequences sources could be sold, but aside from Immortal Stones, I don't seem to lack anything. Oh—Immortal techniques…"

Li Hao's eyes suddenly lit up. Everyone here was a prodigy from various Immortal Dynasties, including royalty. If he traded his Nine Sequences sources for their forbidden top-tier Immortal techniques, wouldn't that be perfect?

But whether they'd agree to trade—he didn't know. Yet how could he know without trying?

Thinking this, Li Hao began walking through the mist while still fishing.

Soon, he saw swirling mist—he knew someone was battling Immortal techniques within. In the past, he'd have avoided it entirely, fearing collateral damage. Now, he parted the mist and walked forward.

"Huh? Chu Tianhuang?"

Li Hao was surprised. Chu Chu Tianhuang was still here.

Chu Chu Tianhuang shattered an attacking Immortal technique and turned. Seeing Li Hao had intruded, he relaxed. "You're still here?"

Li Hao smiled. "I thought you'd already gone to the Origin City."

"I thought you had too."

Chu Chu Tianhuang glanced at Li Hao, dodged another incoming Immortal technique, his expression grim. "The Nine Sequences sources here seem extinct. The Spatial Origin hasn't appeared yet. If it doesn't show in two months, I'll have to head to the Five-Dao Origin City—or the Form-Controlling Origin City."

"This…"

Hearing this, Li Hao thought of the several sets of Nine Sequences sources in his space. He rubbed his nose, suddenly understanding why more and more people had gathered here.

He'd assumed more Immortal Seal bearers had come down to meet Chu Chu Tianhuang. He hadn't realized they were stranded here because they couldn't find any Nine Sequences sources.

"I have Nine Sequences sources. Do you need any?" Li Hao asked.

Chu Chu Tianhuang froze, glanced at Li Hao, then shook his head. "I don't want to go to the Five-Dao Origin City yet. Bo Ya Biya Xuejian went because he specializes in Water Dao."

"I have Time Dao," Li Hao said.

Chu Chu Tianhuang opened his mouth to speak—but fell silent. He stared at Li Hao, eyes widening slowly. "What did you say?"

"Time Dao," Li Hao repeated.

Chu Chu Tianhuang froze, then rushed to Li Hao's side, his Immortal energy surging violently. His Dharma Form manifested—eighty arms appearing, each punching to shatter the incoming Immortal techniques.

Meanwhile, his true body stared at Li Hao, trembling with excitement. "You have Time Dao?"

And his true body looked at Li Hao with excitement and said, "You have the origin of time?"

"But you—"

Chu Chu Tianhuang quickly calmed himself, fixing his gaze on Li Hao, his mind racing.

Clearly, seizing Time Dao from Li Hao, provoking such a prodigy, wasn't worth it.

"I don't want to go right now. If you want it, I'll give it to you."

Li Hao said bluntly: "But it requires exchange."

"No problem."

Chu Chu Tianhuang answered instantly, then asked: "Why don't you want to go?"

Li Hao smiled but didn't answer. Chu Chu Tianhuang immediately understood, and wisely dropped the question. After all, if Li Hao wanted to go, there'd be no room for him—why he didn't want to mattered little.

"Then what do you want? I can make you a General within the Qin Xianchao, even grant you a high post in the Demon Suppression Bureau."

Chu said—but knew these offers might not move the boy. After all, by the time the Southern Domain War ended, his father, the Emperor, would likely bestow such honors upon Li Hao anyway.

He spoke of them, but he knew the boy might not be swayed—after all, by the time the Southern Region War ended, his father, the Emperor, would likely grant these things to the boy anyway.

Li Hao said: "I've heard the imperial family possesses the top-tier True Immortal sword techniques of Yan and Chu."

Li Hao said, "I've heard the imperial clan possesses the pinnacle True Immortal sword art from Yan and Chu."

"Correct."

Chu Chu Tianhuang nodded. "Although Wan Mountain Sword Tower is the foremost sword sect within the Immortal Court, the strongest sword art resides in my imperial family's treasure vault."

He glanced at Li Hao and said, "It was left behind by a Sword King who once passed through Yan Chu. Though not created by an Immortal Emperor, it is complete—and for True Immortals, it is unbeatable!"

"Is it Three Thousand Spring Thunder?"

Li Hao asked.

Chu Chu Tianhuang nodded, unsurprised. This sword art had long held legendary fame in Yan Chu; countless people knew of it. Even Wan Mountain Sword Tower sent its best disciples to the imperial family for training, exchanging their sect's precious treasures to pave the way for their own prodigies.

Hong Tianyi, for instance, had trained in this sword art within the imperial court—but was forbidden from teaching it to outsiders, or else he would be hunted down by Yan Chu, and anyone who received it would be implicated as well!

"If you want it, I can teach it to you."

Chu Chu Tianhuang understood Li Hao's intent and spoke directly, relief easing his breath.

Li Hao exchanging this for the sword art was a fair trade.

"Fine."

Li Hao nodded, then asked, "Can you use it?"

"No, I don't cultivate swords. But I can have my mother transmit it to me now—"

"—but you must not teach it to outsiders," Chu said.

"No problem."

Li Hao said.

Though he already possessed the Azure Sky Sword Art and the Sword God Scripture of Great Dream Nine Abyss, he never turned away any sword technique—after all, the more sword arts he integrated into his own, the stronger his sword path became!

Only by comprehending all things under heaven could one sever all things under heaven!

As he absorbed more and more top-tier sword arts, Li Hao's own sword path would reach an even more extreme peak.

The Sword Dao is both one path and ten thousand paths.

Some sword arts are fierce and rigid; some shift endlessly; some are light as snow; some are heavy and bladeless!

Chu Chu Tianhuang immediately pulled out a message talisman and sent a voice message to his mother in the imperial palace.

Soon, his talisman glowed with a reply. His eyes brightened slightly, and he turned to Li Hao: "I'm transmitting it to you."

With a gesture, a divine light shot forth—within it, countless tiny sword shadows streamed, flowing into Li Hao's vision.

Li Hao used his spiritual sense to receive it, and found himself facing a terrifyingly fierce sword technique.

"Remember: do not teach it to outsiders."

Chu Chu Tianhuang warned again.

Li Hao nodded, then reached into his space of heaven and earth and pulled out the Time Primordial.

He handed it to him.

Chu Chu Tianhuang took the dazzling seven-colored light, sighing. He hadn't expected this boy to willingly give up the lure of the Time-Space Primordial City. Finding another Time-Space Primordial would be extremely difficult—and require far more time.

Especially now, for some reason, more and more people had gathered here, all seeking the hardest-to-reach Time-Space Primordial City, making the struggle for the Time-Space Primordial fiercer than ever. Even he found it difficult—let alone Li Hao.

"Then I'll go first."

Chu said.

After Li Hao nodded, Chu immediately used the Time Primordial to link with the Time-Space Primordial City and vanished from the Heavenly Dao Bridge.

As he disappeared, the mist previously held apart by his divine form once again gathered and closed in. Li Hao unfolded his Dao Domain, its essence woven with sword art, while his thoughts sank inward to cultivate the newly acquired Three Thousand Spring Thunder.

As his sword insights merged, this top-tier True Immortal sword art, created by a Sword Immortal, quickly unraveled within Li Hao's mind.

Three Thousand Spring Thunder—though called a sword art of three thousand strikes—was in truth only one technique!

One strike: Spring Thunder stirs. Three thousand sword shadows kill!