Chapter 815: Departure

Their eyes met; Di Jiming's gaze was icy. Li Hao had won the favor of the Dao Source Immortal Emperor—he would surely enter the Primordial True Realm and had no need to rely on the Southern Region's quota.

Now, the other was also an Immortal Lord, but in this Southern Region, they would never again have the chance to clash.

Still, fortunately, in the Primordial True Realm, he still had a chance to meet Li Hao again.

"Hmm?"

As Di Jiming pondered, he suddenly sensed that Li Hao's palm was gathering immortal energy, brewing a terrifying sword aura.

His expression changed slightly; he stared at Li Hao in shock and anger. "What are you trying to do?"

"Return your palm strike with a sword slash."

The sword aura in Li Hao's palm had fully coalesced; in an instant, he slashed outward. The heavens and earth trembled with thunderous roars. The Great Dao, formed from the shattering of the Nine Sequences, drew upon all Dao forces in the void, condensing into one unified force before cleaving forth.

This sword strike carried ultimate power and Li Hao's ultimate killing intent at this moment.

Di Jiming was stunned and furious—he never expected Li Hao, relying on the Dao Source Immortal Emperor's authority, would dare try to kill him here.

But he was still a prince-in-waiting of the Imperial Clan. He didn't believe the Dao Source Immortal Emperor would dare openly execute him; without the Dao Source Immortal Emperor's intervention, Li Hao alone was merely a petty trickster!

His entire immortal energy erupted violently. Behind him, the Celestial Star Veins illuminated the starry sky. A golden mark appeared on his forehead, instantly activating the power of the Emperor's Nine Sequences Immortal Seal.

"You? You seek death!"

Di Jiming struck in rage. His earlier attack on Li Hao had been three parts annoyance at being delayed, seven parts aimed at his own clan brother. Now, nine parts were pure fury directed at Li Hao himself.

A palm imprint instantly formed—the same Great Emperor's Sorrowful Hand from before.

At this moment, this power was three times stronger than before.

In the instant of collision, their power overwhelmed the entire mountaintop.

Countless onlookers had no time to react before seeing the two peerless prodigies collide.

A deafening explosion shook the air. That palm, capable of erasing all life, shattered under the ultimate sword aura.

The Great Dao unified into a single sword, like countless chains of immortal laws, cleaving through the palm.

Yet at the moment the Emperor's palm shattered, the sword aura also exhausted its radiance and dimmed into fragments.

Both Li Hao and Di Jiming recoiled. Li Hao was thrown hundreds of meters back; Di Jiming's spiritual form appeared behind him and stabilized after retreating only dozens of meters.

Seeing this, countless onlookers paled, their faces filled with shock.

Di Jiming himself froze, his expression darkening as he stared fixedly at the boy before him.

He felt his Emperor's Nine Sequences Immortal Seal had been suppressed by Li Hao's seal—that ultimate Dao-unified immortal seal could instantly mobilize all the forces of heaven and earth, moving with blinding speed and condensing with terrifying strength, beyond imagination!

Li Hao's immortal energy surged and ebbed. He glanced at the Imperial Clan prodigy, then made no further move. That sword slash had returned the earlier palm strike.

He had just entered the Immortal Lord realm and was still unaccustomed to it. Fighting from first realm against seventh, with an opponent who was an Imperial Clan prodigy—this gap was too vast.

Still, it was far better than before, when he had been utterly powerless. At least now, the other could not obliterate him with a single palm.

"Again!"

Di Jiming's fury and shock surged even higher than before. He had believed that palm would crush the boy dead—yet the boy was only wounded.

Though he had ascended from True Immortal to Immortal Lord, he was still only first realm. Yet he could fight against Immortal Lords of the tenth realm and win!

He no longer held back. His entire aura erupted as he prepared to fight to the death and kill him.

But Li Hao ignored him entirely and walked toward the Great Dao.

Di Jiming, enraged by being ignored, moved to strike—but a force enveloped and blocked him.

That force carried the weight of an Emperor's aura. Merely a trace of it shattered his immortal energy, dimmed his Celestial Star Veins, and turned his face pale.

He glared furiously at the Dao Source Immortal Emperor—but met only cold, indifferent eyes. Instantly, his spirit felt struck by lightning. His fury and killing intent shattered, his face turned ashen, and he spat blood.

The Dao Source Immortal Emperor had not struck him. His own killing intent and rage had been violently rebounded by the Emperor's aura, leaving him gravely wounded.

Li Hao did not spare Di Jiming's injury or rage another glance. He stepped forward along the Great Dao, walking steadily under countless watching eyes.

The boy's figure shone like a deity, yet strangely solitary. Countless gazes held complex emotions. He had turned the Southern Region upside down—a mere True Immortal triggering near-bloodshed between two of the top hundred clans, forcing two Emperor Lords to intervene—unprecedented in history.

"Hao Tian…"

From the Dream Clan, Meng Wanning and others watched with complex expressions but made no move to stop him.

They knew the boy carried deadly enmity. Only the Dao Source Immortal Emperor had saved his life. To survive and grow, he must leave the Southern Region.

"He's gone…"

Yue Xi and Gu Yan and others stared blankly at their fellow disciple. The light now surrounding him was beyond any True Immortal's reach. They felt a certainty: when they next saw him, he would shine a hundredfold brighter than today.

At the edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Tower, Lin Qingying's eyes held both joy and sorrow. She did not chase after that figure again.

All that had happened suddenly made her realize how weak she was. Her pursuit would only be a burden.

"One day…"

She whispered silently within.

At least Li Hao had survived. She still had hope of seeing him again.

"Child…"

As she gazed into the distance, a gentle, tender voice suddenly surfaced in her heart.

Lin Qingying froze, first suspecting an illusion, glancing around.

At that moment, the Supreme One and the Dao Source Immortal Emperor also sensed something. Their eyes flickered downward, scanning the crowd, landing briefly on the unassuming figure in green robes.

Though the woman's beauty was peerless, among the many brilliant prodigies present, she was unremarkable.

"I am Wuwei Shimu. Will you become my disciple?"

The gentle, tender voice spoke again.

This time, Lin Qingying heard it clearly. She froze, bewildered, scanning the surroundings—but saw no speaker.

Yet within her heart, she felt a certainty: this was her future path.

"I accept."

She silently replied within.

…

Li Hao followed this Emperor's Path forward. When it extended beyond the mountains into the starry void, under countless watching eyes, he reached its end.

There stood a spatial vortex, connecting to another realm.

Li Hao knew the Dao Source Immortal Emperor intended to send him elsewhere.

Standing before the vortex, the boy paused, hesitated, then turned slightly—but ultimately did not look back. He stepped forward and entered the vortex.

Thus, the boy vanished from the sight of all in the Southern Region.

Seeing this, the Dao Source Immortal Emperor turned his gaze to the Supreme One and said calmly: "The others are irrelevant. Do not trouble them, Supreme One."

The Supreme One gave no reply, speaking calmly: "The Southern Region's grand gathering will not keep you for a drink."

The Dao Source Immortal Emperor, hearing the dismissal, smiled faintly, unbothered. His figure vanished from the void, leaving no trace.

With the Dao Source Immortal Emperor's departure, the air above the mountains fell briefly silent, then slowly regained its murmur.

Countless voices whispered in awe and speculation, guessing the boy's destination.

Such a prodigy—would he go somewhere else in the Southern Region, or leave it entirely?

The thought that he might leave the Southern Region filled many with regret. Such a prodigy, not fighting for the Southern Region, was a tremendous loss.

The crime of that Immortal had occurred ten thousand years ago. Was it truly still worth pursuing? Many pondered, sighing inwardly.

The remaining contestants exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions complex.

Especially among the True Immortals present—aside from Shen Wuji and others, the True Immortal prodigies from other great clans all felt a strange mix of emotions.

Though the True Immortal group's battles had not yet concluded, it was clearly unnecessary to continue. The champion had not been officially decided—but the boy was unquestionably the uncrowned king.

"What a pity…"

Chu Tianhuang sighed inwardly. He had planned to befriend the boy after the final match.

Chu Yue Li frowned, her face grim. She did not know where the boy would go. She could only ask her father, the Emperor. If he left, her betrothal would become meaningless—and she would become a laughingstock among the imperial sisters.

"There are always higher heavens. I never thought I'd live to see a prodigy that leaves us sighing."

Bo Ya Xuejian murmured, a wry smile on her lips. She shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the other Immortal Lord prodigies. Only those granted passage to the Primordial True Realm would ever have a chance to meet him again.

At that moment, the Realm Stone in the sky glowed again. The Supreme One's power receded, and the scene projected across the entire Southern Region.

Seeing the boy's absence, every Immortal Dynasty in the Southern Region erupted in murmurs, unsure what had happened.

The Immortal Guard Commander received the Supreme One's order: the tournament would continue.

"Coming to the Southern Region has truly opened my eyes."

Gui Lingyue murmured, her eyes filled with complex emotion, awe, and a touch of excitement.

Gui Lingshuang remained silent. The aura the boy had radiated after ascending to Immortal Lord had made even her wary. He was only a hundred-year soul lifespan, newly entered into Immortal Lord—yet already so fierce. She felt the chasm between them.

"What happened?"

In a secluded corner of a certain Immortal Dynasty, Mi Xueyao frowned at the reappearing scene.

That guy was gone—was he dead?

In the void.

Wang Shanhe watched Li Hao depart and exhaled softly. With the Dao Source Immortal Emperor intervening, Li Hao's life was surely secured.

Still, he dared not pursue. Though as Li Hao's guardian, he had ways to track him, he feared the Supreme One would trace him and expose Li Hao's whereabouts.

"Boy, from now on, you're on your own. If you need help, find the Luo Emperor…"

Wang Shanhe thought grimly, feeling a pang of sorrow. He had done nothing to aid Li Hao. The legacy left by the Tianyang Immortal Emperor could bring the boy no real benefit—only draw upon him the deadly threat of today.

"Will you stay here, or leave with me?"

Beside him, the old man glanced at Wang Shanhe and frowned.

Wang Shanhe snapped back to himself. He had already recognized the old man's identity. He bowed low. "Your humble servant will depart with you, my lord."

The old man said nothing more. He swept his sleeve, enveloping Wang Shanhe in the divine radiance of the black tower, then tore through the true world's heavens and vanished.

He did not return to Xinwen Fotu City, but instead left the Southern Region, heading toward the profound primal true realm.

From then on, that city lost one tower.

Yet in a certain primal imperial city, a broken imperial artifact had appeared.

As the true immortal realm battles continued, the imperial dais was repaired.

But the ripples from this episode were too great; many remained caught in discussion, with little interest in the subsequent clashes.

This also left the later contestants feeling stifled, as if all the glory had been snatched by that boy alone, making it nearly impossible for them to leave their own names behind.

But no matter what, as time passed, one match, then two, then three… gradually, the Southern Region's attention was drawn back to this celestial prodigy battle.

With the top ten determined, the Southern Region's celestial prodigy contest once again reached a minor peak.

In the final championship clash, Di Linchen revealed the might of his imperial lineage, defeating Jianxin, whose Dao heart was damaged, and claimed first place.

Thus, the rankings for the true immortal realm group concluded.

Di Linchen first, Jianxin second, Mingyue third.

Shen Wujie and Gui Lingyue placed fifth and eighth respectively, both earning qualification to enter the primal true realm and receiving the supreme one's rewards.

During the bestowal ceremony, everyone involuntarily thought of the departed boy—he possessed the strength of a champion, yet had effectively withdrawn, so he received no reward from the supreme one.

Next came the battles of the immortal lord realm, even fiercer, as immortal laws filled the imperial dais, leaving countless spectators awestruck.

After each intense clash ended, the number of participants in the immortal lord realm was small, so the contest moved swiftly, concluding in three days.

Di Jiming, of the imperial lineage and at the seventh level of the immortal lord realm, unquestionably claimed first place.

With a domineering posture, he forcefully suppressed all opponents, his cultivation and techniques unmatched within his realm.

The stronger Di Jiming's performance, the more it stirred memories of that figure among many—yet all that remained was a sigh in their hearts.

As the Southern Region's contest finally ended, all those who earned slots awaited the supreme one's transport to the primal true realm.

The rest returned to their own heavenly sects and immortal dynasties, departing on their homeward journeys.

"You're ruthless."

In a hidden private domain within the returning starry void, seven figures appeared.

Faint starlight illuminated them, their faces flickering between light and shadow.

The one who spoke was Tianzhao Emperor.

His expression was dark, his gaze fixed on Chu Di, the emperor of Yan Chu.

"When I entrusted them to your territory, I knew you wished to protect them, to preserve the greater good for future rehabilitation—but this operation was far too brutal."

Tianzhao Emperor said grimly.

"Indeed, had the Dao Source Immortal Emperor not intervened, we might have…" A cold voice spoke beside him—it was Yuan Zun, the female emperor whose skin outshone snow.

Her eyes were icy, devoid of the calm composure she'd shown during their earlier laughter amid the clouds, now filled with chilling resolve.

"That boy is the successor of the Great One—you nearly snuffed out the last ember. If they knew they survived by such means, they would never consent." Jin Di whispered.

Earlier, his son Jin Fengling had attacked Li Hao; he had stood before his son then—but now his gaze was especially dark, fixed on Chu Di.

"We can't blame him entirely. Over the years, the supreme ones have never ceased testing us; our immortal dynasties are riddled with Tian Gong spies—we cannot hide anything. Chu Di's actions were sacrificing the small self for the greater good, yet…"

Qin Di sighed.