Chapter 842: One Sword Clears the World

Die!!

No words, no extra movements—Li Hao, his disheveled hair flowing wildly, eyes like pinpoint stars, took one step forward and instantly appeared before Hei Ji, like a wrathful deity obscuring all shadows.

He raised his hand; the Taowu Immortal Sword erupted, its blade-light surging nine thousand li in an instant, as if piercing through the entire sky above the Demon Ancestor's grounds.

Then, he slashed down with all his might.

Boom! Hei Ji had no time to react—in the instant she froze, barely regaining her senses, the overwhelming pressure rushing toward her effortlessly crushed her Dao domain. When she tried to muster her power to resist, the blade-light had already twisted space and time, severing her physical body directly.

The black mist seemed to shriek, then exploded violently—Hei Ji's physical form was split clean in half by Li Hao's strike!

Without giving her body a chance to reassemble, Li Hao's sword qi flickered continuously, chopping off piece after piece, raining down upon Hei Ji like a storm of pear blossoms.

In an instant, Hei Ji's body was reduced to dissipating mist and flying flesh and blood.

Li Hao lifted his foot and stamped down on a writhing wisp of black mist, crushing it instantly.

This series of events unfolded too swiftly for anyone to follow—only when they saw Hei Ji's body shatter and vanish in an instant did the crowd snap back to reality, and a deathly silence fell over the entire Gusu Emperor Star.

That top-tier prodigy among demons, the Dao Source Immortal Seal, Ninth-Celestial Lord—was shattered by Li Hao!

A seven-realm gap had been utterly erased—what power was this?!

Many stared with bulging eyes, faces filled with shock, their minds frozen in disbelief.

The demonic prodigies aboard the black warship were likewise stunned—their sneers and arrogance vanished, replaced by dumbfounded stares at the scene before them.

Li Hao stood in midair, his hair whipping wildly, radiating a terrifying, overwhelming cultivation force, like an ultimate killing god, exuding an aura of nobility, grandeur, and supreme majesty—unbearable to behold!

His primordial spirit's golden bones had previously reached their limit, hitting a bottleneck.

Beyond the primordial spirit's golden bones lay the True God's blood!

When the True God's blood filled his entire body, he could achieve the Supreme True God state—the ultimate culmination of the primordial spirit!

In the legacy of the Tianyang Immortal Emperor, the True Gods within the Zunshen Tower were those who had survived the ancient demon war—while even Immortal Emperors perished, these True Gods endured the cataclysm, proving just how potent their survival abilities were!

At this very moment, Li Hao crossed past the primordial spirit's golden meridians, past the golden bones, finally stepping onto the threshold of this ultimate realm.

His perfected golden bones burned, melting into a single drop of True God's blood—this was the way to break the bottleneck, this was the ultimate reversal of death, the rebirth born from annihilation!

That single drop of True God's blood hovered above Li Hao's head, glowing brilliantly, like a perfect, crimson star!

The blazing radiance resonated with the Dao Source Immortal Seal on Li Hao's forehead, exuding an aura of supreme dominion—ruling heaven and earth, alone and unrivaled!

The Su family, Jiang family, Lin family—including the ancestral elders and prodigies of all noble houses—stared in stunned awe at this spectacle.

All knew Lin Zhe, the northern realm's unmatched youth—but now, this boy's radiance pierced through millennia, searing itself deeply into everyone's minds.

"He…"

Lin Jinrou stood frozen. Since childhood, she had seen countless men, all dimmed beside her brother—but this boy's light and power made even her brother pale into obscurity.

Not just her—Su Wanqing, Su Wanxue, Jiang Huanhuan, and others from every family—were all stunned into silence.

"T-True God's blood…"

Su Zhenyuan felt his throat dry, his eyes wide with shock, his massive frame trembling slightly—what kind of prodigy was this? The Immortal Emperor himself had arranged this marriage, delivering such a monster to their Su family—and yet, his own family had nearly driven him out the door!

"Crossing seven realms, defeating a Ninth-Celestial Lord, shattering the Dao Source Immortal Seal, a single drop of True God's blood, reversing the Heavenly Zun's will…"

Jiang Qiuyu stared at the living myth before her. Having led the Jiang family for years, as one of the northern realm's apex figures, she had witnessed countless prodigies over tens of thousands of years—those who blazed brightly and vanished just as fast. Yet even the most dazzling among them, those who burned brilliantly before fading, fell far short of this boy. Even she, and those beside her—Su Zhenyuan, Lin Daogong—in their youth, were nothing compared to him!

In this brief moment of stunned silence, the entire Gusu Emperor Star erupted!

Countless people across the thirty-six thousand Immortal Cities stomped their feet, clenched their fists, faces flushed red, eyes glistening with tears.

The plight of the northern realm's human race had been unbearable—beyond the Emperor Star, on distant stars, they were slaughtered like pigs and dogs, stripped of all dignity.

When demons came to insult them, when their prodigies fought, even their strongest, Lin Zhe, had fallen. No one dared respond to the demons' taunts—until now, when this ultimate prodigy burst from the darkness, bringing them light, bringing them hope!

Amidst the roaring waves of cheers, Li Hao's gaze remained icy, showing no trace of triumph.

On his Taowu Immortal Sword, crimson killing aura surged upward, whipping his hair wildly, making him look like a god of slaughter.

That black-veiled woman had not died!

Li Hao's eyes, cold as an eagle's, swept relentlessly, searching for the hidden core of her life force.

Though her body had been shattered to dust, prodigies of this caliber were no longer mere beings who could regenerate from a single drop of blood—they could survive even without any blood at all!

Earlier, the Xueblood Clan's Chi Xu had already demonstrated such a technique. This was not power gained through cultivation, but something inherent to their race and bloodline—awakened from birth, the very divide between such elite bloodlines and ordinary top-tier prodigies.

Li Hao did not let his guard down—her aura still lingered in the air, scattered and untraceable!

As Li Hao scanned, suddenly, boundless immortal energy within the void of the arena seeped thick black mist.

The mist surged, as if night had fallen, engulfing and obscuring the entire arena.

This shocking turn silenced the cheers on the Gusu Emperor Star—countless eyes widened in disbelief—she's still alive?!

The dense black mist swirled, a shadow emerging once more, coalescing into a new body—reforming into Hei Ji's true form.

"You—"

As Hei Ji's true form solidified, her voice was icy, brimming with murderous intent—she opened her mouth to speak, but the moment she uttered "You," she was met with a terrifying sword strike!

This sword strike carried the power of True God's blood and his blazing golden bones, piercing through the Demon Ancestor's grounds and cleaving directly into her body.

The newly formed body shattered again, her cry cut short into a horrific scream.

Remember, Li Hao's attacks didn't merely wound the flesh—they damaged the primordial spirit.

The hundreds of prior slashes had already shattered her body and severely wounded her primordial spirit—now, even if she reformed, her aura was a shadow of its former self.

Die!

Li Hao's eyes were icy—he stepped forward and slashed hundreds of times in an instant, sword shadows overlapping as if wielded across different timelines, then converging into one moment, exploding simultaneously!

The blade-light illuminated the Demon Ancestor's grounds, banishing all darkness from the arena.

Hei Ji's body shattered and vanished once more—reduced to nothing, not even a speck remained.

Li Hao's gaze was cold as he surveyed the surroundings, still searching for Hei Ji's figure—he had a feeling… she was still alive.

He didn't know what survival technique she used, but it was clearly akin to Chi Xu's Xueblood Illusion Body—able to survive even without a physical form. This bordered on True God abilities, yet only possessed their survival trait, not their terrifying cultivation power.

This was the power awakened within elite bloodlines—innate, surpassing countless eons of sweat and hard-won cultivation!

Seeing Li Hao obliterate Hei Ji once more, countless eyes widened, releasing a collective sigh—but this time, no one cheered; all held their breath, watching in silence.

Earlier, Chi Xu had done the same—shattered, then regenerated, and killed Jiang Xuming. Thankfully, this had not happened to Li Hao.

"Is it luck… or did his fatal attribute fail?"

As Li Hao scanned, his brow furrowed—he had long since activated the fatal attribute in his panel during his battles with these demons.

One percent fatal power, carrying the absolute rules of the panel—he had struck hundreds of times, yet never triggered it. He began to suspect the ability was broken.

But even if it failed, shouldn't it at least give a notification? A sound? Something?

Or was she truly blessed with overwhelming fortune, and simply never triggered it?

This one percent was not a fake probability—it was real.

If it were fake, a hundred strikes would almost guarantee a hit—but real probability… with enough luck, even a thousand or ten thousand strikes could miss!

Li Hao narrowed his eyes, observing Hei Ji's life core while pondering.

Suddenly, he realized a possibility—top-tier prodigies were all beings of great fortune. Perhaps encountering them nullified his probability entirely.

Or perhaps, because she could commune with the Heavenly Zun's will, her connection to that will had infinitely suppressed the probability.

Li Hao decided he'd find another prodigy to kill later and test it.

He pulled his thoughts back, focusing his primordial spirit—and suddenly, he felt a surge within him, drawing the True God's blood above his head into his body.

Instantly, his primordial spirit power surged—he "saw" a thousandfold brighter, his spiritual sense crystal clear. Everything within the Demon Ancestor's grounds became perfectly visible—the flowing fundamental laws, the countless immortal energies drifting like mist, and even the half-shadows hidden within those energies…

Half-shadows?

Li Hao's eyes narrowed sharply.

Immortal energy, though seemingly formless and intangible like air, was not truly formless!

If it were truly formless, how could it be absorbed and controlled?

The "form" of immortal energy was imperceptible to mortals—but to immortals and gods, it was visible, like mist and dust!

If it had form, then it had shadow!

In an instant, Li Hao understood—why she could vanish even after her body was destroyed, why she could hide and survive.

Her true life core was not in her body—it was in the shadows!

In the shadows of the immortal energy!

Instantly, Li Hao raised his hand—the Celestial Star Meridians surged violently, and sword qi coalesced in his palm.

"Since you hide within immortal energy, then I'll shatter the immortal energy too!!"

The Celestial Star Meridians spiraled like a funnel, violently sucking in all the immortal energy within the Demon Ancestor's grounds.

Vast amounts of immortal energy flowed into his body; those resisting, not drawn in, still had forces tugging within their shadows.

But now, the hidden Hei Ji instantly realized—she had been seen. Shocked, disbelieving, a chill ran down her spine.

How did he sense it? How did he see it?!

She had no time to think further.

Countless brilliant sword lights emerged from Li Hao's blade, crimson and bloodthirsty, like a burning branding iron.

Boom!

The sword light slashed out, like a wave of burning clouds!

This time, it was not massive sword qi—but countless needle-thin, sand-like micro-sword qi, converging into a tide, aiming to annihilate all the immortal energy before them!

"I yield!!"

Suddenly, the immortal energy surged—a shadow gathered, frantically shrieking.

Boom! The sealing barrier shattered instantly—a vast, overwhelming force surged forth, carrying the aura of an Emperor, as if to crush Li Hao. Merely the shockwave from that force dissolved Li Hao's blazing sword cloud entirely.

A man in purple robes appeared in the arena, waving his hand as if merely brushing aside his sleeve, extinguishing the burning cloud.

Yet the residual force of that "sweep" continued unimpeded after shattering the sword qi, rushing toward Li Hao.

This aura was utterly terrifying; merely from the casual sweep of a sleeve, Li Hao sensed death's breath—his body froze, utterly unable to move.

But… would he just wait to die?

Imperial will—again, imperial will… Li Hao's eyes burned crimson as he roared aloud.

In the Southern Region, under that Supreme One's suppression, he had no choice but to bow his head.

Here, a half-Imperial Lord dares sweep a sleeve to kill him?!

Li Hao roared as he drew his sword; Taowu turned crimson, sensing its master's anguish, and embraced a resolve to share life or death—it unleashed the terrifying aura of a Fully Cultivated Immortal Lord!

Boom!

The sword qi slashed straight out, striking the invisible sleeve force; the void erupted with thunderous shocks, and the violent backlash surged back, threatening to flip Li Hao over.

Yet that sleeve force only slowed slightly—never vanished!

With a thunderous boom, a foot suddenly crushed that force to pieces!

Three figures descended instantly before Li Hao, shielding him, their overwhelming aura roaring like a furious lion.

Su Zhenyuan's eyes nearly spewed fire as he roared: "Do you want to die?!"

The purple-robed middle-aged man frowned—his strike had failed to crush the boy. With Su Zhenyuan and others arriving, killing Li Hao again was now impossible.

Facing three furious faces, his expression remained calm: "Why so tense? Hei Ji already conceded. I merely brushed off some dust—perhaps a bit too forcefully. With you here, do you really think I'd dare kill him?"

He smirked coldly: "Besides, if I truly meant to kill him, would he still be alive?"

"Is that so? Then let me sweep a sleeve too—see if your demonic prodigies can withstand it!"

Jiang Qiuyu spoke coldly, and as she spoke, she swept her sleeve—vast Tai Xu power surged forth, annihilating the void, erasing time and space, dissolving all primordial sources into a single void path!

This void path stretched onward, as if capable of swallowing all things—chilling to the bone.

The purple-robed man's expression shifted; beside him, the golden-eyed middle-aged man raised his hand and unleashed a brilliant divine force, halting the void path, his face icy:

"Why the panic? The boy's unharmed."

"Don't push your luck—you're overstepping!"

Lin Daogong's face turned glacial; usually elegant and refined, he now wanted to curse.

"Hmph."

The purple-robed man sneered, curled his palm, seized Hei Ji, and soared away, returning to the black warship.

Su Zhenyuan and Jiang Qiuyu knew they couldn't truly harm them. Fortunately, Li Hao was unharmed—if he'd been hurt, they might have gone berserk. But the situation hadn't yet turned irredeemable; they needed to hold steady.

"Are you alright?"

Su Zhenyuan looked at Li Hao, his eyes filled with anguish.

Li Hao's primordial spirit flames still burned, though his aura had weakened considerably.

He controlled his primordial power, quelling the burning. The True God's blood had been refined—though most of his golden primordial bones were destroyed, it was worth it.

One drop of True God's blood outweighed ten thousand taels of golden bones!

"I'm fine."

Li Hao shook his head, then heard two whistling sounds rushing toward him—he looked up to see Su Muqing and Su Wanqing.

Both wore complex expressions. Su Muqing never imagined Li Hao could defeat Hei Ji—Lin Zhe even lost!

Though he hadn't killed Hei Ji, giving her a chance to concede, her bizarre survival ability made her feel that even if she unleashed her hidden power, she couldn't guarantee she'd silence her completely.

After all, she was a top-tier prodigy—ninefold Immortal Lord realm under a thousand-year soul lifespan; without this boy appearing, she'd be number one.

She never imagined the boy who sat daily outside her courtyard, silently waiting for her, possessed such courage and strength.

Recalling her past words to him, she suddenly felt ashamed—if he hadn't wasted time because of her, he'd surely be far beyond this.

Only barely over a hundred years of soul lifespan—and he'd wasted ten years outside her courtyard…

She bit her lip softly, her gaze at Li Hao deeply complex.

"Are you alright?"

Su Wanqing spoke, her face tense as she stared at Li Hao.

Li Hao looked at her, his eyes softening slightly, and shook his head: "I'm fine."

Then his gaze hardened again as he whispered: "Fall back. While my primordial spirit still burns, I'll finish them all at once!"

At Li Hao's words, all were stunned. Su Zhenyuan and Jiang Qiuyu trembled—finish them all?

Earlier, no one would've taken him seriously. But now, this boy's words brought them boundless hope.

Finish them all… that meant the prisoners could be rescued!

Thinking of their children, grandchildren, their faces lit with rare excitement.

"Fine, we won't delay you—but be careful. Don't push yourself!"

Su Zhenyuan said at once, then gazed deeply at Li Hao: "The Su family owes you—I'll repay you!"

"You're Hao Tian, right? This debt, the Jiang family remembers!"

"The Lin family remembers too!"

Jiang Qiuyu and Lin Daogong spoke in unison.

Li Hao merely nodded slightly—not because he truly accepted their debt, but because he wanted them gone quickly.

Su Zhenyuan and the others were men of action; they said no more, swiftly gathering Su Muqing and Su Wanqing and leaving the Demon Ancestor's grounds.

Once they departed, Li Hao's gaze turned to the black warship. As he looked up, he met those cold, clear eyes like autumn water—filled with complexity, chill, and killing intent.

It was Hei Ji.

Li Hao met her gaze without flinching. His eyes gleamed like brilliant gold, his True God's blood radiating a divine, supreme dignity—his gaze alone made others unable to bear it.

Hei Ji felt the boy's gaze piercing and blinding; her many thoughts suddenly scattered like a dam broken by floodwaters. She turned her head slightly, avoiding his eyes, and bit her lip.

She lost. She actually lost.

For the first time in her life, she conceded defeat!

And she lost to a human—lost to a human of Immortal Lord Second Realm!

"Now, who's next to die?"

As her emotions churned, the boy's crisp voice pierced the Demon Ancestor's grounds, echoing calmly across the sky!

At these words, every elder of every clan—including the Su, Jiang, and Lin families—erupted in excitement.

Every person on the Gusu Imperial Star clenched their fists in excitement!

The tide had turned!

Though Li Hao hadn't killed Hei Ji, winning alone was a miracle—far beyond their expectations.

Earlier, their aura had crushed everyone, forcing them to bow their heads. Now, the aura radiating from Li Hao surpassed theirs.

Who had the courage to step onto the stage and face the boy drenched in golden divine flames?!

Countless people trembled with excitement, itching to point fingers and curse the demons: Who dares? Who will come?!

On the black warship, the purple-robed man and others wore grim faces. Behind him, the demonic prodigies looked pale.

Too arrogant—he openly declared "who's next to die," as if stepping onto the stage meant coming to die!

But the boy's aura blazed like the midday sun—they dared not ascend.

Hei Ji lost. Who could stand against him?

No one expected the Dueling Tournament to reach this point—nineteen of them, crushed by a single Immortal Lord Second Realm human, none daring to speak!

The sky fell silent, save for the distant roar from the thirty-six thousand Immortal Cities, echoing faintly.

The purple-robed man and others were of such high realms—if they wished to listen, they could hear whispers from the far side of the Imperial Star, let alone these shouts fueled by countless energies.

Aside from the distant waves of voices, the elders of the clans, seeing the demons' silence, began speaking up.

"Are you all mute? Why not speak?"

"It's your turn—did you fall asleep standing?!"

"No one dares? Is this what you call demonic prodigies? All cowards?"

"If you won't fight, kneel down and beg for mercy!"

The clan elders felt their pride restored, their words sharp, taunting and humiliating.

Though this behavior lacked grace, who cared about grace when facing demons?

To speak of grace to demons who devour their own kind? You've lost your mind!

Hearing these insults, the purple-robed man and others' faces darkened as if dripping ink. The tide had turned—their earlier humiliation now returned a hundredfold.

They longed to crush every insolent mouth, grind them to paste, devour them—but this was human territory.

Hei Ji fell silent. Facing the insults, she felt it was her own weakness, her failure to kill the boy.

Other demonic prodigies, though furious enough to faint, gritted their teeth and endured.

Now they understood: even when rage boiled to madness, they must endure—helpless, stifled!

Ascend? Ascend and die!

No one among them could match the boy's power.

The silence stretched into stalemate; each wave of voices grew sharper, more piercing.

The purple-robed man took a deep breath. The three exchanged telepathic words and reached a decision.

"All others are deemed defeated. Return the prisoners you lost. This first Dueling Tournament… you win."

The purple-robed man's face was grim. Though he resented it bitterly, he had no choice but to concede.

A mere Immortal Lord Second Realm had reduced him to such fury and shame. He finished speaking, then glared coldly at the boy, memorizing him.

"What do you mean 'you win'? We won from the start!"

"Next time, if you lack the strength, don't parade so many useless fools around—people might think they're great prodigies, but they won't even fight!"

"Lose and admit it—don't pretend to be tough!"

The ancestral elders of each clan had venomous tongues, hurling mockery and cold sneers.

The purple-robed middle-aged man's chest rose and fell slightly; he felt his Dao heart trembling, wanting to tear out their mouths, crush them in his hands, and squeeze them into pulp!

Losing this battle would not only bring shame upon them here, but the reflection of the boundary stone he had demanded would spread into the demonic realms, striking a blow to border morale—but the dust had settled; no matter how bitter, they could only endure it.

"Hey!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the dojo.

The purple-robed middle-aged man turned his gaze, a deep killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Li Hao naturally understood the hatred in these demons' hearts; seeing they had not chosen to fight despite such humiliation from the clan elders, he knew none among them dared to step forward.

Since they dared not, then let him give them an opportunity.

Just as they had given humanity one before.

"Those who have already fought—I'll let you fight again!"

Li Hao's gaze was calm; he spoke word by word.

Hearing Li Hao's words, the purple-robed middle-aged man and others changed expression, anger surging in their eyes.

How humiliating—this was exactly what they had said before, now spoken by Li Hao.

Their intent had been to kill Su Muqing and Lin Zhe; Li Hao's words exposed that intent, clearly showing he harbored murderous intent toward them too!

By what right? He's merely a human—by what right?!

The purple-robed middle-aged man and others glowered at Li Hao, their faces dark, yet they gave no reply.

Fighting again would be useless; apart from Hei Ji, the other two who had fought were unlikely to match Li Hao, and might well be slain.

And Hei Ji… though her body had fully healed in this brief moment, Li Hao's attacks carried lethal Primordial Spirit destruction—her Primordial Spirit was already riddled with wounds; stepping back onto the battlefield would mean drastically reduced power, and she might still not be his match.

"You—"

Hei Ji gritted her teeth, staring at Li Hao, certain his words targeted her, humiliated her.

Anger flared in her eyes, but she did not act rashly; instead, she memorized this human.

Others, after a moment of stunned silence, erupted in cheers—how satisfying! They had returned every humiliation they had endured.

Seeing the black warship remained unmoved, Li Hao frowned, took a deep breath, and said:

"Dare not come? Then I'll make another exception—everyone except Hei Ji may attack together!"

At these words, not only the purple-robed middle-aged man and others were stunned, but Su Zhenyuan and the others who had just felt triumphant were also terrified, breaking into cold sweat, staring at Li Hao in disbelief.

"Hao Tian, this isn't a joke!"

Su Zhenyuan cried out urgently.

The sealing barrier had not yet activated; his voice echoed directly into Li Hao's mind.

But Li Hao acted as if he heard nothing, his gaze fixed on the purple-robed middle-aged man.

The purple-robed middle-aged man, fearing Li Hao might retract his words, after his initial shock, immediately said: "Fine, you said it—don't think you can take it back!"

He spoke the second half loudly, fearing Su Zhenyuan and others would intervene.

Su Zhenyuan and the others' faces shifted again; Jiang Qiuyu also sent a mental message to Li Hao:

"Child, don't act rashly—they're the demonic realm's top prodigies; if they unite…"

Li Hao said nothing, still staring at the purple-robed middle-aged man:

"I won't retract my words—but I have my demand: if they all lose, every prisoner of war must be returned, and additionally, one hundred royal cities must be given. Will you agree?!"

Hearing Li Hao's words, Su Zhenyuan and the others trembled—they finally understood his motive: he wanted to recover all the prisoners!

Earlier, Jiang Xuming had lost, Su Wanqing had lost, Lin Zhe had lost, even Su Muqing had lost—only one victory had been won!

They had fought seven or eight rounds already, yet secured only one win!

Even if Li Hao defeated Hei Ji and the rest surrendered, they could still recover only a dozen or so prisoners—six or seven would remain lost.

Compared to these twenty prodigy prisoners, one hundred demonic royal cities were merely a bonus—insignificant.

Each prodigy prisoner's value exceeded a hundred royal cities—far more!

Once they reached the peak of Immortal King realm, not even ten thousand royal cities could buy them back!

Though cultivating them to the peak of Immortal King realm would consume countless resources and celestial treasures, if they could be nurtured, no cost was too great!

"Hah! Willing! Of course I'm willing!"

The purple-robed middle-aged man laughed—what were one hundred royal cities? To the vast demonic territories, they were but a drop in the ocean.

As for these prisoners… though returning them stung, the chance to kill Li Hao made these twenty prisoners insignificant.

Bind them all together—they still couldn't match the threat posed by this boy. As long as they killed him!

"Su Zhenyuan, he said it himself—not I forced him. Can you afford to lose?!"

★￠o

The purple-robed middle-aged man glared at Su Zhenyuan and the others, barking.

Su Zhenyuan and Jiang Qiuyu sent mental messages to Li Hao—but they fell into silence; as they grew anxious, they heard only three words from the boy:

"Trust me."

No more words—just three brief ones, yet radiating calming strength, brimming with absolute confidence!

Hearing this, Su Zhenyuan and Jiang Qiuyu exchanged glances; though worry filled their eyes, Li Hao had spoken, the matter was set—they could only try.

"If it's hopeless, surrender."

Su Zhenyuan still warned—should Li Hao call for surrender, he would sacrifice everything to protect him.

Li Hao nodded.

Seeing Su Zhenyuan and the others fell silent, the purple-robed middle-aged man laughed—then his smile turned cold as he turned to the demonic prodigies on the black warship and said coldly:

"It's your turn—eighteen of you against one. You won't lose, will you? Whoever dares to surrender won't live to return!"

His words amounted to a death order.

His goal: force them to spare no cost—even burning their Primordial Spirits, even using life-for-life techniques—to kill this boy!

Dying in the dojo meant dying as a demonic hero; surrender meant death—and bringing shame upon their clans.

The eighteen demonic prodigies' expressions shifted; they understood the battle's importance, yet felt no fear. If individually none could defeat Li Hao, together… this human would surely die!

"Go!"

The purple-robed middle-aged man said.

The eighteen instantly flew toward the Demon Ancestor's Dojo.

All except Hei Ji and the fallen Chi Xu took the field.

Hei Ji frowned tightly; she knew this boy wasn't foolish—he had defeated her, cultivated the Dao Source Immortal Seal—how could he be reckless?

His bold words meant he still held hidden cards, still possessed greater power!

And he specifically excluded her—likely because he recognized his own limits; after all, her power was close to his. If she joined the other eighteen, she was certain even if he were the most prodigious, he would die!

"Arrogant brat—he doesn't know that beyond you, Meng Qing and the others each possess unique abilities that would catch even you off-guard!"

The purple-robed middle-aged man's eyes brimmed with hidden killing intent; his fists clenched tight, his heart taut.

If they could kill Li Hao, destroy this Dao Source Immortal Seal prodigy, this battle would be a monumental triumph!

"Hao Tian…"

Su Zhenyuan and the others watched the sealing barrier slowly close, their gazes complex.

They held vast intelligence—they knew he wasn't from the Northern Region—but now he was risking everything for Northern Region humans.

"Eighteen against one?"

"Isn't this bullying by numbers? Can he possibly withstand it?"

"Heaven protect him—let him win!"

"I'd give five hundred years of my life to beg the heavens to shield him!"

In the thirty-six thousand immortal cities, countless people held their breath, hearts pounding—they all saw this boy fought to recover every prisoner, yet none could predict the outcome of this perilous battle.

After all, among the remaining demons, even without a Hei Ji, beings like Chi Xu likely still existed; united, they would form an utterly terrifying force.

In the Demon Ancestor's Dojo, icy winds blew slowly.

Li Hao's Primordial Spirit flames still burned, though significantly weaker than before.

"You think you can win back all the prisoners? You're delusional!"

"Die! I'll rip out your Dao Source Immortal Seal and eat it!"

The eighteen demonic prodigies—including Meng Qing, who had wielded the Nightmare ability—glared coldly at Li Hao.

Having suffered such humiliation, they longed to flay him, tear his sinews, and devour him to the last bone.

As thunder split the sky, battle erupted—the dazzling lightning illuminated Li Hao's face, his expression radiating supreme arrogance and killing intent, unmatched and unchallenged.

Only Li Hao knew his goal went beyond recovering prisoners—he intended to leave every demonic prodigy here, kill them all!

These demons came to humanity with murderous intent—he would make them reap the bitter fruit of their own design!

ZZZZ!

Suddenly, multiple forces surged, invading Li Hao's Dao Domain.

Among them, one force struck like a sledgehammer, violently shaking Li Hao's mind sea.

"Watch out!"

Outside the dojo, Su Muqing saw Meng Qing enter the field, her face paled, and she urgently warned Li Hao—but her voice could not penetrate.

Li Hao naturally noticed the demonic youth wielding Nightmare ability; the moment thunder cracked, the nightmare force descended instantly, seemingly ignoring the Dao Domain, ignoring time and distance, striking directly into his mind sea, into his Primordial Spirit.

But this Nightmare ability depended on the strength of the Primordial Spirit!

Earlier, Su Muqing had nearly fallen into unconsciousness because her Primordial Spirit had been wounded in battle with Chi Xu, continuously eroded by the Spirit Blood Curse Seal, unable to function.

But Li Hao's Primordial Spirit… was far beyond Su Muqing's.

Especially when a drop of True God's blood coalesced, fully crossing into the True God threshold, the Nightmare Law force slammed like a sledgehammer—yet Li Hao's spiritual sense trembled without suffering any damage!

It was as if a tiny Nightmare had suddenly rushed into a vast world, appearing utterly insignificant.

Then, the Primordial Spirit power of the True God's blood surged forth.

In Li Hao's spiritual sense space, it seemed as if a crimson, flame-burning divine sun plummeted, pressing down upon that force.

The Nightmare force vanished instantly, as if letting out a shriek.

And that shriek was, in fact, emitted by the demonic youth across from him—Meng Qing.

His eyes suddenly spurted blood; he clutched his face, crimson fluid seeping from his Primordial Spirit—like blood, yet more like light!

It was as if a ball of crimson radiance shone from within his Primordial Spirit, bathing it in red until it exploded.

With a bang, his Primordial Spirit shattered on the spot!

All this happened in the blink of an eye—he had launched an attack on Li Hao, only to be violently repelled by the backlash of his own Nightmare force, suffering instant severe injury: his Primordial Spirit shattered, his aura withered endlessly.

Aside from Meng Qing, the other demonic prodigies all struck out at once, their powers surging toward Li Hao.

Though those forces moved swiftly and easily pierced Li Hao's Dao Source Eternal Dao Domain, when they struck his body, his Heavenly Immortal Body blocked them all.

Half of the demonic prodigies' attacks couldn't even scratch his flesh!

The Heavenly Immortal Body had surpassed the Immortal Lord's form; its flesh and Primordial Spirit had fused, growing stronger as his flesh strengthened and as his Primordial Spirit power increased.

When the True God's blood condensed, his Heavenly Immortal Body ascended a tier—even the full power of an Immortal Lord could not harm him!

Li Hao ignored these attacks; any force capable of injuring him left only temporary wounds that healed instantly.

He stood like a god amidst the storm, facing the horde of demons, his gaze calm yet piercing, radiating ruthless killing intent.

Amidst the chaotic forces, a sharp power suddenly surged—a whisper as ancient as time.

This power carried a strange, twisted aura, as if instantly dragging Li Hao's spirit into an abyss.

It was a force that directly disrupted the mind.

Bang!

But the next instant, the power shattered instantly; Li Hao's gaze flickered once, then returned to its former sharp killing intent.

That force targeted the spirit, testing the Dao Heart with extreme rigor—but his Dao Heart had long surpassed eternity.

Among Immortal Lords, nothing could affect his Dao Heart—not even Immortal Kings!

Of all his powers, his Dao Heart… was the strongest!

Among the demonic prodigies, a muffled groan rose, followed by one of them staring in horror.

His bloodline secret art had been shattered instantly?

Even an Eternal Dao Heart, he believed, could bind the opponent for several breaths, paralyzing them into helpless defense!

And in those few breaths, the other seventeen acting in unison could crush Li Hao a thousand times over!

Yet his bloodline secret art had merely touched the opponent—and shattered outright!

The guy's Dao Heart… his pupils contracted.

At this moment, Li Hao had already raised his sword.

The Dao Source Immortal Seal, the Nine Orders, the Ten Thousand Dao—all merged into this single strike.

Simultaneously, the Five Extremes Emperor Sword fused into it.

So too did the top-tier sword arts exchanged from other Southern Realms, and the Sword God Scripture learned in the Great Dream Nine Abyss.

All these supreme sword arts now merged onto the blade in his hand.

With his burning Primordial Spirit power and twelve levels of sword realm, he continuously condensed and controlled this force, soon finding a perfect balance.

All sword arts are my sword.

All Dao under heaven are my Dao!

SLASH!!

Li Hao suddenly swung his sword; crimson, bloodthirsty killing aura surged backward, climbing his palm, merging with the Primordial Spirit flames on his body like roaring fire, illuminating the world with one strike.

"Impossible!"

The demonic prodigies all paled; they revealed their true forms, their heavenly manifestations reflected behind them, each burning their Primordial Spirits, roaring in madness to block Li Hao's sword.

But as the sword rose, its blade-light pierced the heavens, scattering clouds and mist, weaving together chains of the fundamental laws of time, space, and all Dao.

With a thunderous boom, as the blade-light fell, the void above the Demon Ancestor's sacred ground seemed crushed into an arc by its might—terrible power shattered the very center of space.

The manifestations, Primordial Spirits, and all the Immortal arts and bloodline secret arts the demonic prodigies unleashed were all drowned out by the sword's radiance!

"Impossible!"

The purple-robed middle-aged man's pupils contracted, his heart reeling.

The power of this sword strike had reached the absolute peak of the Immortal Lord realm!

Not the ordinary peak of an Immortal Lord—but rivaling the might of a genius who had reached full Immortal Lord cultivation!

Thunder and fire tore through the void, humming incessantly; shattered space, collapsing fissures, and emerging dark realms and lightning intertwined within the Demon Ancestor's sacred ground.

This sacred ground, where the Demon Ancestor had passed away fifty thousand years ago, now bore the appearance of a world's end.

That single sword strike loomed like heaven collapsing and earth splitting, chaos born anew!

Countless onlookers held their breath.

When the light faded, the sword qi had pierced through the ground of the sacred ground; in the void, eighteen demonic prodigies lay mostly dead—only three or five survived, barely clinging to life by using demonic weapons, their bodies shattered into bloody fragments, some reduced to mere traces of demonic blood.

They struggled weakly to gather themselves within the lingering heat of the sword scar.

A cold wind brushed past; only the young boy remained standing in the midst, his crimson sword exhaling icy radiance, exuding an invincible aura.

One sword swept clean the demons of the world—leaving only the bright moon, shining over rivers and mountains!!

(End of Chapter)