Chapter 845: The True Meaning of Carving, Su Xing Awakens (Combined)

Peach blossoms have drifted down countless times; the brushstroke has nibbled through countless springs and autumns.

Thick temporal Dao resonance permeated the mountaintop, enveloping Li Hao, as if a colossal cocoon wrapped him, along with the Time Divine Wood floating before him.

That fragment of divine wood had long since lost its wooden form, now transformed into a lifelike youth with gray-white hair, holding a goblet to drink.

The sculpture sat casually in empty space, radiating imperial aura; the surrounding space subtly rippled. If observed closely, one would see the primordial Dao gathering, layers of void folding like creases, extending faintly from its side.

Before this sculpture sat Su Jiuzhe's true form, seated casually on the grass, silent as a stone statue for years, quietly gazing at the boy utterly absorbed in carving.

Three years, to him, were but a blink; a single shift of thought had already turned over countless springs and autumns.

For these three years, neither had spoken. The boy carved with complete devotion—pure, focused, lost in spirit—while he merely watched, sensing the earth-shattering transformation within the boy.

Indeed, earth-shattering: in just three years of carving, the boy had silently broken through to the sixth layer of Time's Primordial Dao.

Moreover, his Space Primordial Dao had advanced from the fifth to the sixth layer.

His Metal Primordial Dao had also risen consecutively, from the fourth to the fifth-layer peak.

The Wood Primordial Dao had done the same.

The Form Primordial Dao had likewise climbed from the sixth layer to its peak.

He was not far from breaking into the seventh layer.

Only three years. Just three short years.

Without cultivation, merely carving, he had propelled five of his Nine Sequences' Primordial Dao realms into leaps of advancement.

All of this unfolded before his eyes—he witnessed it firsthand, with no other means involved.

Su Jiuzhe finally understood why this man could reach such an unimaginable level within a mere hundred-year soul lifespan—he was undoubtedly an unparalleled prodigy of the ages!

Could it be that he was bestowed by Heaven's Dao, the one destined to end this endless war? Su Jiuzhe's gaze flickered, his thoughts soaring across ten thousand years of past and present.

While lost in thought, a strange ripple suddenly appeared before him.

This ripple tugged at his Primordial Spirit, as if something shone upon it, refracting a beam of light.

The power capable of shaking his Primordial Spirit must be at least Pretender Emperor level.

Su Jiuzhe's eyes flickered, snapping back to awareness—he saw the sculpture before him radiating brilliant light, as if it were his own reflection, not a mere carved ornament.

"Hmm?"

Su Jiuzhe's gaze sharpened; his insight was extraordinary—he instantly recognized the sculpture's extraordinary nature.

This… was already a substitute existence.

To call it an external avatar would not be an exaggeration—his own mastered ultimate realm, "Myriad Worlds," had been carved by Li Hao and now manifested in ripples around the sculpture.

Though incomplete, it was already astonishing beyond measure.

As Su Jiuzhe stared intently, the boy before him stirred like ice thawing, gradually regaining awareness from his trance-like carving.

Li Hao gazed at the sculpture before him, his eyes clearing, then glowing with brilliance—he wore an expression of excitement, delight, and profound affection for his creation.

Even the floating panel prompts leaping before him, he ignored automatically.

Only one who truly loves the Dao can attain the Dao!

"This… is true carving."

Gazing at the Emperor carving, Li Hao finally understood the true meaning of carving—his past works, before this piece, were nothing but ornaments.

The most exquisite carving must be sculpted by time itself.

As if at the dawn of chaos, time carved the true world, carved all living beings.

All things can be carved… including the Primordial Dao.

This art of carving had reached the level of divine craftsmanship, transcending sages and gods, reaching the Primordial Immortal Realm.

Simultaneously, Li Hao realized that the Twelve Stages of Carving were merely the threshold into the Dao of Carving.

His past carvings could only be called "shaping."

This carving now was truly natural, born of time itself.

With Immortal power as his brush-knife, he had become the unseen force driving time.

"Rain falls into mud—it carves a depression."

"My white hair? Merely a slice carved by time…"

"Even white hair and youthful face can be carved—my own cultivation can be carved too!"

Li Hao's spirit merged into the carving, as if merging into heaven and earth—humble as an empty valley, capable of holding all things.

Countless insights into carving flooded into his heart.

【Carving Dao: Twelve Stages】

【Realized Mindset: True Meaning of Carving】

Li Hao had mastered the Painting Dao and Chess Dao at Twelve Stages, each granting him extraordinary unique abilities—exclusive techniques of the Twelve Stages, like secret powers hidden in the bloodlines of great clans.

Now, the Twelve Stages of Carving granted Li Hao another power—a technique forged from all his carving insights: the Blade of Ages.

Carving and Painting Dao shared subtle similarities, yet differed fundamentally.

The Painting Dao Li Hao mastered was the Realm of Ages, maximizing the use of Time's Primordial Dao within his domain.

The Blade of Ages was also intimately tied to time, yet far sharper than the Realm of Ages.

He could carve cultivation, carve himself, and carve away his enemies' strength!

"At the cost of my soul lifespan, I can use the Blade of Ages to temporarily carve my own cultivation to a higher level!"

Primordial Dao could be carved; cultivation realms could be carved too—this power was terrifying. Li Hao had never seen any of the demonic prodigies he fought possess such a thing.

If he encountered the Black Princess again, Li Hao felt he wouldn't need to burn his Primordial Spirit—he could simply carve himself with the Blade of Ages to briefly match her realm, compensating for the power gap caused by soul burning, and fight her without harm!

If he also burned his Primordial Spirit, he could kill the Black Princess outright, leaving her no chance to escape!

Li Hao increasingly realized that whether Chess Dao or Carving Dao, the power gained through their advancement was no lesser than that of the Nine Sequences' Dao!

After all, his mastery of a single art had triggered breakthroughs in multiple Nine Sequence Primordial Dao realms. Usually, the Nine Sequences split and evolved into myriad things—but these arts could split and generate the Nine Sequences themselves, revealing their wonder and terror.

Returning his thoughts to the present, Li Hao looked at Su Jiuzhe—the elder's posture had not changed. Li Hao's eyes filled with gratitude; he rose and said:

"Thank you, Elder, for your help."

"I merely sat here."

Su Jiuzhe smiled calmly.

He studied Li Hao and noticed the boy's aura had grown more subdued, profoundly changed—but this change did not manifest in his cultivation level; perhaps only in battle could it be perceived.

"With carving, such a minor art, you have comprehended the Primordial Dao. In all history, you are rare indeed."

Su Jiuzhe said.

Li Hao, surprised, asked: "Have others also awakened the Dao through such means?"

"Of course."

Su Jiuzhe said: "You possess the Dao Source Immortal Seal—you should know that all Dao paths converge into one. Whether great or minor Dao, when mastered to the peak, all lead to the same summit: forging your own Emperor Path!"

"Since ancient times, countless cultivators have entered the Dao through auxiliary arts. Few persist to the later stages, for the pressure of cultivation competition is immense—these auxiliary paths are inherently slow, unable to compete with the great Dao paths."

"Moreover, not everyone possesses your insight and perseverance to delve so deeply into this path."

Li Hao nodded slightly—he deeply understood the immense pressure those from great clans faced when cultivating such "side paths."

"Do you know how much time has passed outside?" Su Jiuzhe asked.

"Outside?"

Li Hao was startled—he had been so immersed in carving he'd lost all sense of time. "Has much time passed?"

"Not much—only three years."

Su Jiuzhe said: "You carved through time—within your own temporal space, ten years passed, your soul lifespan increased by ten years, yet outside, only three years elapsed."

"I carved for ten years?"

Li Hao was stunned—ten years? In all his life, how many tens of years had he lived?

This single carving had consumed so much time.

Three years outside—that was indeed a long time.

Li Hao had not yet grown accustomed to cultivation seclusions lasting hundreds or thousands of years; he smiled wryly. Yet when he gazed at his creation, he felt it was worth it—more than worth it.

Even if given another ten years, he might not be able to carve such a piece again—he might need even more time.

After all, the space around this sculpture was layered with creases and fissures—carving with time's force had been a labor of heart and soul, neglecting sleep and meals.

"This piece… consider it your gift to me."

Su Jiuzhe raised his hand and took the small carving of himself that Li Hao had made.

This object was no mere ornament—it resembled a reflection avatar, capable of unleashing immense power and even manifesting some of Su Jiuzhe's own techniques.

Li Hao knew this object was priceless, comparable to a top-tier Immortal weapon—but he could still carve more. And without Su Jiuzhe's aid, he could never have carved his way to breakthrough.

"If you like it, Elder. Should I ever have the chance, I'd like to carve your Emperor weapon."

Li Hao smiled.

"You're not one to be taken advantage of," Su Jiuzhe said lightly, clenching his hand—the primordial Dao phenomena swirling around the sculpture instantly retracted, sealed away, becoming an ordinary wooden carving, yet brimming with divine essence.

He casually tucked it into his robe and waved his hand: "Go."

Li Hao rose, bowed deeply, then descended the mountain, carrying the basket of pastries.

At the mountain's foot, Uncle Four saw Li Hao emerge and immediately sensed a change in his aura—and his soul lifespan had increased.

Though he had no Soul Mirror, Uncle Four's cultivation level allowed him to sense Li Hao's soul lifespan change without one.

"Did the Ancestor guide you?"

Uncle Four asked with a smile.

. 〇

Li Hao nodded. "In a way, yes."

He immediately waved goodbye to his Fourth Uncle and hurriedly left the ancestral grounds, heading for the Exiled Immortal Academy.

Three years have passed—no one knows if she has awakened yet.

Li Hao felt a flicker of guilt; he had promised to stay by her side, yet he had abandoned her.

……

Within the deep mansion of the Su family, the Exiled Immortal Academy.

Years passed, and after the flurry of activity, the Su family settled into peace; Su Muqing now sat in her cultivation chamber, locked in seclusion to ponder the Dao.

The courtyard stood empty and silent; the figure that had seemed to blend into the very scenery of the courtyard had gone to the ancestral grounds and had not returned.

Su Muqing sent Wu Ma to inquire, and learned that Li Hao was still at the ancestral grounds, seemingly receiving guidance from the Primogenitor and cultivating there.

Upon hearing this, Su Muqing felt an inexplicable sigh of relief, yet also a complex, indescribable bitterness.

As the Su family's top prodigy, she had only seen the Primogenitor's face when he awoke—she had not even spoken to him, let alone received his summons or guidance.

Yet Li Hao, somehow, had won the Primogenitor's favor.

She did not envy Li Hao—only felt regret and confusion over why the Primogenitor had not summoned her.

During the year Li Hao went to the ancestral grounds, the Lin family seemed to recover; a swift message arrived at the Su family, delivered respectfully before her.

Seeing the message, she realized she had shut off her jade tablet—so he could not directly contact her through it, and had instead used the Su family's communication network.

Instantly, guilt washed over her; memories of centuries spent together surfaced: he had shielded her from storms since childhood, aided her like an elder brother, and countless others had regarded them as a destined pair.

She herself had believed it too.

After all, whenever she looked at other young men of the world, she felt nothing but mediocrity.

His character, appearance, cultivation base, and talent—all were incomparable.

Even those prodigies of great clans, adored by countless others, were utterly crushed before him—no match at all, not even on the same level.

But this solitary supremacy of a crane among chickens had been shattered.

Yet, merely being surpassed in talent did not make her distance herself from him; after all, her father often said, beyond the sky lies higher sky; she had heard legends of other Great Emperors, even of the Original True Realm, where prodigies existed at her and Lin Zhe's level—or even stronger!

Such as those who wielded the Dao Source Immortal Seal.

Thus, she had never regarded her own talent as the pinnacle of the True Realm; this way, even if she lost, even if she fell, her Dao heart would not be damaged.

Her Dao heart could endure its first defeat.

But… that moment in the desperate abyss, when she had stepped past them, preparing to die in battle, she could not forget.

She understood them—but understanding and acceptance were two different things, especially after such a contrast.

Su Muqing gripped the message in her hand, and finally decided to meet him.

Outside the Su family, at a lakeside pavilion.

A tall figure stood there, waiting silently.

Su Muqing appeared instantly via teleportation; seeing the figure by the lake, her gaze grew complex, then she slowly descended into the pavilion.

"Are you angry with me?"

Upon meeting, Lin Zhe turned, fixing his eyes on the girl before him, his gaze filled with confusion and a trace of ire.

Su Muqing knew he was blaming her for shutting off the jade tablet; she whispered, "There's been too much lately—I was in seclusion."

Such a lie, Lin Zhe naturally did not believe; he found it almost laughable—but he did not laugh, nor did he grow angry; instead, he spoke calmly:

"When your father spoke those words, we both heard them. What choice did you make?"

Su Muqing's heart trembled; she fell silent, then after a long while said:

"I don't know."

"Don't know?"

For the first time, a flicker of anger crossed Lin Zhe's calm face; his fist clenched slightly. "I thought you would refuse decisively!"

Su Muqing stared at the furious young man before her, speechless; she truly did not know—even now, she did not know how to face him.

"The Dao Source Immortal Seal is indeed a true dragon among men—but the Chaotic Law is not necessarily inferior!"

Lin Zhe gazed deeply at Su Muqing. "Centuries of companionship—you should know my heart."

Su Muqing fell silent; she understood perfectly.

"In another ten years, I will go to the Original True Realm—the family has already arranged it."

Lin Zhe fixed his gaze on her and said solemnly: "Your Su family must have similar plans. My point is—if you choose me, let us marry soon, before we depart, and produce an heir for the family to raise. You know—the competition in the Original True Realm is fiercer. Once there, you'll have no time for such matters—you'll need to devote yourself entirely to cultivation!"

Su Muqing's expression subtly changed; once, these things had been natural, inevitable.

But now… a rare hesitation stirred within her.

Lin Zhe seemed to sense her thoughts; he gazed at her deeply, then turned away.

"Take ten years to think it over."

With that, his figure tore through the void and soared away, vanishing into the horizon in an instant.

Su Muqing remained by the lake, staring at the empty pavilion; suddenly, she felt her own heart hollow. Her gaze, like the lake's ripples, shimmered with crystal-clear light.

After returning from the lakeside pavilion, Su Muqing secluded herself in her hall, refusing to see anyone.

Time passed.

Outside the academy, Li Hao returned from the ancestral grounds.

Seeing the courtyard unchanged after three years, Li Hao's eyes immediately went to the sealed hall door; seeing it still shut, he felt a pang of disappointment—she had not yet awakened.

He carried his basket back to the carved chair, noticed the chessboard covered in dust, and waved his hand to dispel it.

Wu Ma, seeing Li Hao return, beamed with delight and hurried forward.

"Young Master, you're back."

"Has she left the premises?"

Li Hao asked.

Wu Ma instantly understood he meant Su Muqing. "For these past few years, the Young Lady has rarely stepped outside—she's locked herself in her hall."

Li Hao murmured "Oh," realizing that in his three-year absence, she had not cared at all.

He shook his head slightly, and let it go.

He dismissed Wu Ma, then resumed his usual routine: playing chess and carving.

Yet now, with his Twelve-Stage Carving Dao, the figure he carved—Ying Xiaoxiao—seemed to hold a soul.

Li Hao carved one, then placed it beside him, as if it were company.

Time flew by.

During the three years Li Hao was at the ancestral grounds, Su Wanqing and Su Wanxue had both visited the Exiled Immortal Academy seeking him; upon learning his whereabouts, they were glad for him and stopped bothering him.

Still, they occasionally sent people to check whether he had returned.

Now that Li Hao had come back, less than half a month passed before the two arrived at the academy to visit him.

"Hao, you went to cultivate with the Primogenitor—after three years apart, your strength must have improved greatly, right?"

Su Wanxue studied Li Hao, her earlier prejudice long gone; she wondered how much his power had changed.

"Fine."

Li Hao replied casually.

Su Wanqing's gaze, however, noticed the carvings nearby; to avoid drawing attention, Li Hao had concealed the Dao's primordial essence and sealed the power—so they appeared only to carry spiritual resonance. Yet even so, his Twelve-Stage carving skill made them far more lifelike than before.

"Your carving technique seems to have improved."

Su Wanqing whispered, her voice tinged with a sour note.

Was it because she kept carving her sister that she improved?

Even without seeing the person, he remained so focused—had she already been deeply etched into his heart?

"Mm."

Li Hao didn't think much of it—he was surprised Su Wanqing had noticed his breakthrough in carving.

"Hao Tian, will you go to the Original True Realm? With your talent, your cultivation would advance far faster there."

Su Wanxue asked again, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Original True Realm?"

Li Hao instinctively glanced toward Su Muqing's sealed hall, then shook his head slightly. "Not yet."

"Not going?"

Su Wanxue noticed his gaze and asked: "Is it because of Muqing? She'll be going too."

Li Hao said: "If she goes, I'll go."

Su Wanxue fell silent, finally understanding: wherever Su Muqing was, this boy would be—no matter the lure of the Original True Realm.

Curiosity stirred in her heart. "Where did you meet Muqing? Why do you feel so deeply for her?"

Hearing this, Su Wanqing also lifted her gaze to study Li Hao, suppressing her sour expression, afraid he might notice and distance himself from her.

The question left Li Hao stunned; his thoughts instantly returned to the Southern Region, to that small teahouse in the mortal world.

He fell silent, lost in memory.

Seeing Li Hao's prolonged silence, Su Wanxue gave up and said: "If you want to go to the Original True Realm, our Su family can arrange it—your father's fondness for you will surely secure you a spot."

Li Hao snapped out of his reverie and shook his head. "No need. I already have access."

"You have it?"

Su Wanxue and Su Wanqing both froze, then remembered Li Hao's peerless talent—such a prodigy having a way into the Original True Realm was not surprising.

They exchanged glances; Su Wanxue's eyes held disbelief, while Su Wanqing bit her lip. If he had a way in, then staying here was pure waste of time—this proved his feelings for Su Muqing were beyond their imagining.

After a few more casual words, the two left.

Li Hao resumed his own affairs: cooking and eating the flesh of ancient demonic corpses, healing his golden bones, continuing to carve and play chess.

Although both techniques have broken through to the twelfth level, they still require further experience accumulation; if he can break through to the thirteenth level soon, he will be able to ascend to kingship.

But for now, this process clearly takes too long, as experience must be accumulated day after day.

Inside the hall.

After returning from the lakeside pavilion, Su Muqing occasionally watched for signs of Li Hao's return; seeing he had not come back, she fully immersed herself in her cultivation.

The defeat she suffered at the hands of demonic prodigies there struck her deeply—whether it was the Spirit Blood Clan's Chi Xu, or later Meng Qing, especially the black-clad Ji of the Dao Source Immortal Seal, who even Lin Zhe could not match; for the first time in her life, she saw a prodigy stronger than Lin Zhe's brother.

This pressure drove her into deep cultivation, to the point of losing herself.

In that fight to the death, she prepared to unleash the forbidden power hidden within her body.

As her realm advanced, she increasingly sensed that power—it was no illusion, but something truly real.

Yet she also had a gut feeling: if she truly activated that power, she would face grave danger.

But during this retreat, she couldn't help wondering—if she could awaken and master it, wouldn't that allow her to leap forward dramatically?!

She planned to slowly coax out that power, like unraveling a thread, and gradually refine and control it!

As her will descended deeper, connecting with the hidden power, she gradually sensed an indescribably terrifying aura—an immense, boundless river drawing from afar into her body.

And this river was none other than the Time River, the most mysterious in the True Realm.

Even a single ripple from that river could drown countless prodigies and demons.

And that mysterious river seemed to extend into her very body, bringing forth terrifying power.

The more she touched it, the more stunned Su Muqing became—if she could fully master this power, she felt she could effortlessly become invincible in the Immortal Lord realm!

Time… Su Muqing had always possessed extraordinary perception and insight into time, otherwise she could never have reached the seventh level of Time Essence.

But the dense time aura within her body was deeper, more profound than anything she had ever sensed!

As she continued to touch it, deep within the power, a distant voice seemed to call out.

That voice crossed the Time River, pierced through space and time, impossibly far and faint.

She held her breath, wrapping her consciousness in her full mastery of Time Essence, drawing closer to the power and the voice; slowly, she could barely make out a few words.

"Hao… Tian…"

Upon hearing that faint voice, Su Muqing froze—she suddenly felt a chilling dread, as if caught in a nightmare.

Was it an illusion? Or had her thoughts become chaotic? Why would she be calling out for him deep within her heart?

They say longing day and night brings such thoughts—but why would she… for him?

The call vanished the moment she heard it, as if it had been an illusion all along.

Su Muqing's emotions grew complex, but quickly she cast aside distractions; both she and Lin Zhe had become top prodigies not merely because of talent, but because they placed cultivation above all else—romance and sentiment could wait.

She pressed closer to the power, soon sensing a luminous orb, crystal-clear and wrapped in seven-colored mist.

The orb resembled a massive fruit, radiant and beautiful, its surface flowing with exquisite time energy, dazzling beyond words.

Yet within that brilliance, Su Muqing noticed a faint human silhouette within the orb—graceful, curled like a fetus in amniotic fluid.

Her spirit trembled—how could the power within her body appear like this?

She wished to draw near, but some force barred her, preventing approach.

Su Muqing realized: it was time. Though the power resided within her, it was not truly within her—rather, it existed in another timeline within her.

To draw near, to master it, she must… pull it into the present moment.

Su Muqing unleashed her strength, condensing her seventh-level Time Essence insight into a razor-sharp blade of time, and slashed violently—cutting through the dark barrier!

Suddenly, the time energy on the orb's surface froze solid.

Then, in an instant, it surged toward her—the glowing time fruit expanded in her perception until it hovered before her.

At that moment, she realized: the curled figure within was no illusion—it was real. And the face of that sleeping form… was identical to her own!

As she stared in shock, the figure slowly opened its eyes within the fruit, gazing directly at her.

Their gazes met—time and space spun, karmic threads of past and present entwined instantly.

In that instant, all of Su Muqing's memories as the vessel flooded into the fruit.

And on the fruit's surface, a crack appeared—a vast, overwhelming aura seeped out.

In the courtyard, Wu Ma brewed tea for Li Hao; Li Hao sipped slowly, placing stones in silence.

Suddenly, a long-forgotten familiar aura emerged, as if breaking free from a shell.

From within the hall before him.

Li Hao, absorbed in his game, was jolted back to reality—he leapt to his feet as if struck by lightning, eyes wide, staring at the closed hall.

At the same moment, in the Su ancestral lands.

On the hillside blanketed in peach blossoms, Su Jiuzhe paused mid-sip, his wine flask halting as his eyes flickered—seemingly piercing countless petals and distances to glimpse the scene deep within the palace.

"Awakened…?"