Chapter 878: The Tai Cang Ancestral Art: Emerging from the Mountains to Harvest

Seeing the seven elder’s smiling gaze, Li Hao was momentarily stunned; his scattered thoughts settled into calm, and in this moment his heart was profoundly peaceful. He smiled, revealing his teeth.

“Thank you, Elder.”

Though you did not deliberately teach me, you intentionally guided me. I reap the fruit—I must honor the cause.

“At such a young age, to delve so deeply into this obscure path is indeed rare.”

The seven elder chuckled.

In the world of cultivation, though the way of go can lead to sainthood and the Great Dao, it is far less cherished than the pursuit of swords, spears, and clubs.

Li Hao’s gaze swept toward the go board, yet what had once seemed profoundly mysterious now appeared even more obscure—not simplified by his awakening, but deepened further, filled not only with alternating time and space, but entangled cause and effect; he saw traces he had never noticed before.

Not entering the Dao, one sees the ocean; having entered the Dao, one sees the starry cosmos.

“Your two Elders’ go art is truly unfathomable.”

Li Hao’s eyes were filled with awe; he knew these two Elders’ go art was far beyond the thirteenth dan, immeasurably higher than his own. “We merely live long enough to have nothing better to do.”

The seven elder said, and it was true—if they hadn’t lived so long and had nothing else to occupy them, they would never have devoted themselves to such pursuits, finding go as a pastime.

Over tens of thousands of years, even without focusing their minds on it, they could still reach profound depths.

But the go art they comprehended merely added luster to their combat power; it could not help them break through their own ultimate realm.

“Elder, you are too modest.”

Li Hao shook his head, then asked curiously: “Elder, you said you were born from chaos—surely you are the oldest existence in heaven and earth. Then why do you say you fall short of the Immortal Emperor?”

With such an immense span of time, even with mediocre talent, one should have found the path to emperorship long ago. With infinite time, what Dao could not be comprehended? You might as well be called immortal.

“Your turn.”

The eight elder impatiently urged.

The seven elder smiled faintly, gazed at the board, pondered for a moment, then picked up a stone and placed it down.

As the stone settled, Li Hao’s gaze was irresistibly drawn to it—he seemed to see pillars holding up heaven and earth; the white stones’ movement grew fiercer, coiling and trapping the black stones.

The eight elder again fell into deep thought, silent.

The seven elder stared for two more glances, then slowly raised his head and smiled at Li Hao: “All things have origins. We were born from chaos—

we are the original Tai Cang cultivation system. Back then, there were no myriad laws, no realms forged by these youngsters. Thus, we have all reached the ultimate realm.”

“Tai Cang system? Ultimate realm?”

Li Hao was stunned. “Ultimate realm—does that mean a realm akin to the Immortal Emperor?”

“Mm.”

The seven elder nodded: “Since ancient times, countless races have developed countless cultivation systems, but all streams converge. In the end, they all became cultivation through the myriad laws, refining domains—that is today’s Emperor Dao system!”

“And the ultimate realm of the Emperor Dao system is the Immortal Emperor—capable of commanding heavenly Dao forces, reaching the pinnacle, rivaling heaven itself!”

“But the Tai Cang system, even at its peak, only matches the power of a pseudo-Emperor. That is the absolute limit of the Tai Cang system.”

Li Hao was stunned. Ultimate realm of a system? So these two Elders are not limited by themselves—but by the system they cultivate.

“Can’t you surpass it? Or switch systems?”

Li Hao asked.

If reaching the peak only equals pseudo-Emperor power, why not switch to today’s Emperor Dao system?

“We were born from chaos. We have already reached the absolute limit of the Tai Cang system. We cannot switch, nor do we wish to.”

The seven elder shook his head, pointing to the bamboo grove: “Look at this scenery—barren, nothing like famed mountains or imperial palaces. But this is our home. We love it. The dragon throne in an imperial palace is, to me, inferior to this broken wooden chair beneath my buttocks. The world has sun and moon—bright and dark. Neither is inherently better, nor is one inferior. What you love is the greatest in the world.”

Li Hao was momentarily stunned, yet for some reason, he instantly understood the old man’s meaning.

Hadn’t he himself walked this path?

What one loves in the heart surpasses all else in the world.

Countless people chase the peak, yet he preferred the smoke and fire of mortal life. Countless famous sword manuals, rare treasures—all meant less to him than a fine dish, a single go pattern.

Though this preference stems from the fact that he gains power through music, go, calligraphy, and painting, even in truth, isn’t his heart’s true love exactly this?

If swords and clubs lost their power to grant status and authority, and were judged purely by their intrinsic beauty, how could they compare in Li Hao’s eyes to poetry, painting, go, and music?

Seeing Li Hao’s dazed expression, the seven elder smiled faintly, then added with a hint of mystery:

“Moreover, though we fall short of the Immortal Emperor, it depends on the place. In this chaos world, even an Immortal Emperor cannot harm us!”

“The Tai Cang system cultivates the self. The Emperor Dao system commands the myriad laws, controls the heavenly Dao, and refines the Emperor heart. One is simplicity itself; the other, complexity itself. Perhaps in some distant future, a new era will emerge with a cultivation system surpassing the Emperor Dao system—but countless peaks, endless mountains—we have no heart left to chase them. Better to sit in this deep mountain courtyard, warm a pot of wine, play a game of go, and listen to the wind through the bamboo sea.”

“This is already very good.”

Listening to the elder’s aged voice, Li Hao felt dazed, as if some belief deep within him had found a kindred soul.

Hadn’t he viewed things the same way?

The world’s honors and humiliations are endless. Mortals seek to ascend to heaven; once emperor, they crave immortality—there is no end.

“Indeed.”

Li Hao nodded, speaking with deep resonance.

Reaching the ultimate realm means no one can threaten you. That is enough for self-preservation.

Seeing Li Hao’s expression, the seven elder showed a flicker of surprise. His words—spoken in the voice of an ancient, spiritless old man—had never been accepted by any of those brash youths who sought to become kings or emperors, let alone these rising prodigies, whose blood still boiled and who charged forward recklessly. They would scoff at such thoughts, even if they outwardly bowed under his aura.

Having lived endless years, he knew people well—he saw in this young man a serene ease, the calm after all splendor had faded.

“You came here for heavenly Dao power, yes? Shall I have it guide you to hunt?”

The seven elder shifted tone, placing his hand on the black dog beside him.

The black dog, hearing this, glanced warily at Li Hao. After all, it was a chaos seed—it did not wish to see outsiders slaughter here.

But feeling the elder’s gentle stroking on its head, it understood his intent, and its wariness quickly subsided.

“No need. I can manage on my own.”

Li Hao shook his head, but felt his reply sounded too confident. He asked: “Elder, how does the strongest chaos seed here compare to this one?”

Seeing Li Hao’s serious demeanor, the seven elder smiled. “Strongest? It is the strongest.”

“It?”

Li Hao looked at the black dog. Upon hearing this, the dog lifted its head, gazing at Li Hao with a hint of pride.

Li Hao’s heart relaxed. This black dog was indeed powerful—it had not been instantly slain by him, and had escaped all the way here, stronger than the four that ambushed him by the Chaos River.

“Then I am at ease.”

Li Hao said, but had no intention of leaving immediately. He wished to continue observing the two Elders’ game, feeling that merely watching could accumulate endless go cultivation experience.

As for hunting outside—he was in no rush. There were many chaos seeds here; even if all others arrived, they could kill only a few.

Besides, he had already cleared the Eighth Heavenly Realm and harvested abundant heavenly Dao power.

“Elder, how does one cultivate the Tai Cang system?”

Li Hao asked curiously.

Before the Emperor Dao system emerged, heaven and earth were primordial. He could hardly imagine what cultivation was like back then.

The seven elder smiled: “You wish to learn? But you already cultivate the Emperor Dao system. To also cultivate the Tai Cang ancestral art, you will struggle to reach the ultimate realm—

unless, after countless eons—”

Here, he seemed to recall something amusing, pointing to the bamboo grove beside him:

“Go cut some bamboo. Then I’ll teach you.”

“Cut bamboo?”

Li Hao was stunned. He had only intended to learn about it, never expecting the elder to actually teach him—but the seven elder was more generous than he imagined.

“Can the two systems be compatible?” Li Hao asked.

The seven elder’s lips curled into a sly smile: “That depends on you.”

Li Hao fell silent—he understood now. The elder was using him as a test subject.

“Then I’ll try.”

Li Hao did not refuse. After all, he had nothing better to do. He had only a few hundred years of soul lifespan. Coming to this world, he was deeply curious and intrigued by events from countless ages past.

He walked to the bamboo grove, raised his hand, and summoned a blade of sword qi to strike the bamboo.

He expected to sweep through a row with ease—but the sword qi, upon touching the first bamboo stalk, stuck and vanished without a trace.

Li Hao froze, eyes widening. His power had left no mark on the bamboo?

At that moment, he realized: the elder’s instruction to “cut bamboo” was no casual task—it was a true trial.

Yet the bamboo before him seemed utterly ordinary—Li Hao examined closely, tapped it with his fingers, sensing only immense chaos energy within, nothing else special.

The seven elder glanced over, smiled without speaking, and returned to his game.

Li Hao did not ask further. He began to ponder on his own.

He gathered his Destiny Sword Kill and slashed at the bamboo—only to find, to his shock, not even a scratch remained.

“This—even a domain artifact wouldn’t be this resilient?” Li Hao couldn’t help but be stunned. Was this bamboo grove composed entirely of domain-artifact-level divine objects?

He then condensed numerous chaos laws, fusing twenty-four into one, transforming them into decay law and time law, applying them all to the bamboo—yet all proved useless.

After repeated attempts, half an hour later, Li Hao realized something terrifying: the bamboo wasn’t merely hard—it was immune to all laws.

Remembering the elder’s words about cultivation systems, he suddenly understood: with all the powers he now controlled, he likely could not harm this bamboo. This bamboo likely contained the same force as the seven and eight elders cultivated.

“If heavenly power and laws won’t work, then I’ll break it with my bare hands!”

Li Hao thought to himself.

He unleashed raw strength, his bloodline surging like a dragon. He gripped the bamboo and strained.

To his surprise, the bamboo, previously invulnerable to all laws, now creaked and groaned under his grip—as if about to snap!

Seeing hope, Li Hao’s eyes lit up. He poured all his strength into his flesh, soon bending the bamboo.

But the bamboo was incredibly resilient—still unbroken.

“No good. My body has reached the ultimate realm—this is the pinnacle of an Immortal Lord’s physical form. My strength is maxed out. If I can’t break it now, I never will—unless I wear it down slowly until cracks appear!”

Li Hao thought to himself.

His physical body had long reached the peak of Ultimate Strength, his divine blood refined; now at the twelfth stage of physical cultivation, he stood at the absolute limit of the Immortal Lord realm, capable of battling Long Que in equal standing, yet unable to surpass the Ultimate realm.

When he channeled control force, it touched the bamboo and vanished without trace; brute strength could not snap it—only wear it down.

Li Hao began swaying the bamboo back and forth, but after half a day of repeated effort, the bamboo remained unyielding, straightening again the moment he released it.

“This will probably take years of grinding to break.”

Li Hao felt momentarily dazed, then let out a wry smile—he had slain demons and monsters in the Immortal Lord realm as easily as slaughtering chickens, yet now he was stumped by a single bamboo stalk. It was absurd.

“The method must be wrong.”

Li Hao stood before the bamboo, no longer using brute force, but instead focusing his gaze, reaching out to carefully touch it, sensing its structure.

Yet the bamboo’s surface seemed shielded by a boundary domain; he could only faintly perceive the profound chaotic energy contained within.

“Calm your mind—feel deeply—”

Li Hao closed his eyes, immersing his spirit entirely in sensation, shutting out all external things, leaving only the bamboo beneath his palm.

“This little one has decent character.”

The Seventh Elder looked up, a faint smile on his lips.

“You plan to let him try fusing the Emperor Dao with Tai Cang? Though the two can coexist, it would take countless eons—pointless. Reaching the peak of one path alone is enough to stand atop the world.”

The Eighth Elder flicked a go stone, not lifting his head as he spoke casually.

“I’m merely pointing a path. Whether he chooses to walk it is his own affair. If he finds it too arduous, he can stop—no one forces him.”

The Seventh Elder chuckled.

He truly thought so. The paths they themselves refused—or were too lazy—to walk, it was no harm letting this energetic lad try them. Whether he quit midway or pressed on was none of his concern.

Throughout history, what harm is there in showing future generations a path?

If he truly succeeds, perhaps he might even wander through the cycle of rebirth.

The Eighth Elder spoke, glancing at the boy, seeing his calm, focused demeanor, let out a soft hum, then returned his gaze to the chessboard.

The Seventh Elder said nothing; the two resumed the timeless silence they had maintained for countless eons, wholly absorbed in the chessboard.

Beside them, the black dog sat, its eyes mocking the boy—break the bamboo? Impossible!

The old master had once made it try too, promising a boon if it succeeded. It strained for centuries and couldn’t bite through a single stalk.

And this human thinks he can?

EEEnn

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

Across the Infinite Heavenly Realms, save the Eighth Realm, every land in the other realms teemed with battles and conflicts.

Boom!

A Chaos Dao Seed’s body shattered; a figure in blue robes pierced through it with a divine spear, one hand clutching a sphere of Heavenly Dao force.

He swiftly absorbed it, then turned and left without looking back.

Only when he flew straight to a certain cave did he pause to rest, scanning his surroundings warily.

Now, besides Chaos Dao Seeds, he had to guard against others trying to seize them.

“I’ve already slain thirty-four!”

“The Heavenly Dao force I’ve gathered is substantial—won’t know if it’s enough to break through, but my master said the more, the better.” Lin Di Xuan’s eyes flickered as he began to meditate, gazing out of the cave: “I wonder how Sister Luo is doing in the Eighth Realm. Half a month remains—when it nears end, I’ll go see. That Ascension Path still hasn’t appeared—no one’s found it yet—”

He murmured softly, then suddenly tensed, suppressing his aura.

Dozens of li outside the cave, two massive figures darted past—Chaos Ancients.

“Those Chaos Ancients nearly stole from me before—cost me a Realm Artifact. Damn it!”

Lin Di Xuan’s eyes darkened with bitter hatred toward the Chaos Ancients.

Ninth Heavenly Realm.

In a deep valley within a forest, tremors erupted intermittently; four figures clashed—two Chaos Dao Seeds, two ethereal immortals in fluttering robes.

“Quick, focus and kill one first.”

Luo Ningshuang gritted her teeth. Her once-elegant, pristine form was now disheveled; her jade-green silk gown was stained with blood and torn in places, the green mark on her forehead dimmed significantly.

Nearby, Su Wanyi was equally disheveled, hair tangled, her white robe caked in blood.

“Hurry—don’t make too much noise and draw more.”

Su Wanyi’s eyes held wariness; her strikes grew fiercer. In the Ninth Realm, though they hunted Chaos Dao Seeds together, after battling several, they realized how terrifying these creatures were—each demanded full effort, and victory was uncertain. Now they faced two at once.

Deep in the cave, another slumbered—something they hadn’t anticipated. Had they known, they’d never have dared enter.

Combat would attract more Chaos Dao Seeds. If three surrounded them, they’d likely die—only a Realm Artifact could save them.

But that artifact was reserved for the Ascension Path. Use it now, and they might forfeit their chance to climb it.

“Spring-Summer Sword Art!”

Su Wanyi unleashed the ancestral sword technique of the Su family—the second form.

The swordlight in her hand blazed brilliantly, radiating intense brilliance; combined with her twenty-three-chapter Chaos Sword Dao, she struck instantly, carving a massive, irreparable wound across the chest and abdomen of the centipede-like Chaos Dao Seed.

Seeing this, Luo Ningshuang rushed forward, slashing relentlessly; the two coordinated perfectly, quickly reducing the Chaos Dao Seed to near death.

EEEn■

In the bamboo grove.

Before the bamboo, the boy’s figure still stood, palm touching the stalk, eyes closed in focus.

Half a month had passed; the boy’s body had not moved an inch.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze drifted through, carrying a single fallen leaf from the grove.

Ting—a sound like a sword unsheathing—the boy abruptly opened his eyes.

Fallen leaf. Autumn wind.

Li Hao gripped the bamboo, then shook it violently. Instantly, all twenty-four Chaos Laws within him surged together,

converging into his palm. With that shake, the twenty-four Chaos Laws resonated in unison—as if merging with his palm, merging with the bamboo itself, creating harmony.

Boom!

The bamboo shattered explosively!

The sharp crack echoed like thunder. The black dog beside them, eyes half-closed, dozing off, jolted awake, snapping its head up to see the bamboo slowly toppling.

Its dog eyes widened to full circles.

What happened? Did it just nap for thousands of years?!

The two elders, mid-game, paused slightly. The Seventh Elder looked up, eyes filled with astonishment—in just half a month, this boy had already understood?

He was surprised. Such talent—he had seen few in countless eons.

“Pure chaotic energy—”

Li Hao stared at the shattered bamboo, eyes bright with insight. This bamboo was invulnerable to all methods, impervious to divine force; every fiber contained chaotic energy, interwoven. To break it, one must shatter the chaotic energy within.

Only chaotic energy could break chaotic energy.

Li Hao reached out, grasped another bamboo stalk, shook his arm—crack!—it too exploded.

Mastering chaotic energy, resonating with the bamboo—breaking bamboo was no longer difficult for Li Hao.

He smiled, turning toward the two elders.

“It seems you’ve mastered it.”

The Seventh Elder couldn’t help but praise: “This is the cultivation of Tai Cang Ancestral Art. You’ve learned how to fuse chaotic energy with your physical body. Before the Emperor Dao system emerged, the original Tai Cang system relied on wielding chaotic energy in combat—but this method has limits. Once your body can no longer absorb more chaotic energy, you’ve reached its peak.”

Li Hao understood: the Emperor Dao system harnessed divine force, using qi to control laws; the Tai Cang system wielded chaotic energy, channeling power directly through the body.

“Thank you, Elder.”

Li Hao bowed.

Previously, the chaotic energy he absorbed could only activate his Chaos Laws. Now he could directly channel it into his body for combat.

In short, his physical combat power had increased manyfold—he had unlocked another path.

But if measured by actual battle strength, the difference was minimal.

After all, in ultimate peak confrontations, his own sword art and twenty-four Chaos Laws remained his true strength.

“No wonder everyone now cultivates the Emperor Dao system. Combining this art is truly unnecessary. One sword suffices to kill. Whether longsword, broadsword, dagger—all are merely variations of laws. Practicing fists adds little meaning.”

Li Hao thought to himself.

Still, though it brought no real power boost, it was a fascinating journey.

Li Hao turned inward, observing the lake of divine force within his body, seeing the traces of divine force flowing there—he instantly knew how long he had cultivated.

The lake’s internal laws operated naturally; each droplet marked time. Now, half a month had passed.

“Time flew so fast—I should go hunt Chaos Dao Seeds. If I move quickly, I might still have time to return and watch the game.”

Li Hao thought to himself.

Though this place offered rare chances to accumulate chess Dao experience, the harvest of Heavenly Dao force was too precious to miss.

Li Hao approached the two elders and bowed: “Elders, I intend to go hunt Chaos Dao Seeds.”

The Seventh Elder showed no surprise, only smiled and nodded slowly: “Go. You can always study this art later, once you reach the Emperor realm. After all, it’s merely an outdated, abandoned method—no need to dwell on it.”

Li Hao understood: if he truly became an Immortal Emperor, studying this Tai Cang Ancestral Art might grant him greater power—but for now, focusing on the Emperor Dao was the correct path.

“Thank you, Elders. When might I have the chance to meet you again?” Li Hao asked.

“That depends on fate.”

The Seventh Elder smiled.

Li Hao, seeing the two elders offered no means of contact, felt a pang of regret—but he knew these two immortals had seen through all worldly matters; they likely preferred not to be disturbed.

He said no more, only bowed deeply in gratitude.

The Seven Elders waved his hand, and the path through the bamboo grove grew illusory again, revealing the distant, drifting mountains and rivers beyond.

Li Hao knew it was time to leave.

He bowed farewell to the two elders and departed along the original path.

As he stepped beyond the path and walked deeper, the world outside grew clearer; the mist dispersed, the bamboo grove behind vanished, and he returned to the Ninth Heaven Realm.

Feeling the thick, primordial qi of heaven and earth, Li Hao drew a deep breath, a sensation of pores opening spreading through him.

He absorbed this primordial power while extending his spiritual sense to probe.

Soon, he spotted the traces of two primordial Dao seeds.

Zho!

Without hesitation, Li Hao’s figure blurred and surged toward the primordial Dao seeds.

Boom! In a swamp, a primordial Dao seed, its body like a giant eel, slithered through the mire, its entire form pitch-black, radiating terrifying energy—even a dragon here would likely become its prey.

Li Hao’s figure descended abruptly, one foot crushing the creature’s head; a blade qi shot forth, slicing instantly through its body, severing it into two halves.

“Fated Blade Kill!”

Li Hao struck immediately with his deadliest technique, hoping to slaughter them all quickly so he could return to watch the game.

The severed primordial Dao seed shrieked—but did not die—revealing a grotesque, sucker-lined maw as it lunged at Li Hao.

Li Hao casually unleashed hundreds of blade qis, instantly cutting its body into fragments, swiftly killing it.

After collecting the heavenly dao force from this primordial Dao seed, Li Hao turned and charged toward the other.

As he continued hunting, the heavenly dao force he gathered grew ever greater.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Li Hao’s spiritual sense swept across a valley, where he saw two figures surrounded by five primordial Dao seeds, blocking all four directions, while another hovered above, trapping them within the valley.

“How could there be so many?”

Luo Ningshuang’s face was pale; she had slain two primordial Dao seeds earlier, but one had chosen to self-destruct, creating a massive disturbance. They had fled immediately, but soon after resting, five more primordial Dao seeds appeared where they had paused.

She did not know how they had tracked them—they had concealed their qi and traces, yet still been followed.

“If we can’t escape, we’ll have to use the Domain Artifact!”

Su Wanyi’s face was grim too; she felt the strong aura of death. Had they not possessed a Domain Artifact, they would already be dead.

The Ninth Heaven Realm was truly a death trap. Had they not carried a Domain Artifact, they would have withdrawn ten days ago—after all, prodigies valued their lives.

“Whose do we use? One is enough to save both of us. But if we want to turn and kill them all, we might need another!”

Luo Ningshuang gritted her teeth; they had only three Domain Artifacts, and they’d need them on the Ascension Path, where competition would be fiercer. Using one here meant losing one.

“Using a Domain Artifact to kill them isn’t worth it. Better to save it for survival.”

Su Wanyi said quickly: “Once we escape, we’ll find isolated ones and kill them slowly. No need to waste Domain Artifacts on them—it’s too extravagant.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Ningshuang immediately agreed, nodding: “Then—”

“I’ll do it.”

Su Wanyi saw her hesitation and spoke decisively: “If we face danger later, use yours. If not, on the Ascension Path, you use one to protect me—or trade me ten primordial Dao seeds’ heavenly dao force.”

“Then let’s see if there’s danger later—or on the Ascension Path, I’ll protect you with one, and we’ll share it.”

Luo Ningshuang said swiftly.

Su Wanyi no longer hesitated, nor feared Luo Ningshuang would renege—this was too urgent for careful negotiation. She immediately pulled out a Domain Artifact, ready to unseal its locked power—when suddenly, a howling blade light streaked toward them.

Boom!

The crimson blade light pierced straight through the brain of the primordial Dao seed hovering above them, as if smashing through mud, passing clean through.

Blood splattered everywhere; the crimson blade light arced sharply, slicing the creature’s body into dozens of pieces, killing it instantly.

This sight left Su Wanyi and Luo Ningshuang stunned, looking up in shock.

The crimson glow was a blade qi, radiating terrifying power.

The other four primordial Dao seeds were startled by the sudden change, roaring in fury—but the crimson blade light did not weaken; it turned and struck the eastern primordial Dao seed.

At the same time, a footstep emerged from the ripples of the Return Void, and Li Hao stood atop the fallen remains of the slain primordial Dao seed, his hand grasping the floating heavenly dao force.

Seeing Li Hao’s figure, Luo Ningshuang and Su Wanyi were stunned, their eyes narrowing slightly with shock.

This sudden figure—was he that human, Hao Tian?

“Him? How is that possible!”

Luo Ningshuang could not believe it.

That primordial Dao seed was the strongest of the five—and it had been instantly slain, its heavenly dao force ripped out!

Su Wanyi was momentarily dazed; she had never seen this boy fight before, yet this scene was utterly shocking.

At that moment, a roar of fury snapped the two women back to reality.

The crimson blade light shot forward, striking the eastern primordial Dao seed, which unleashed a wave of dark light in defense—but the crimson blade qi pierced through, splitting its body open, organs scattering across the ground.

The remaining three primordial Dao seeds roared in rage—but the next instant, they all turned and fled.

Though they outnumbered him, they smelled death from the boy—terrifying, overwhelming.

And with two of their kind dead, the boy plus the two women meant their numerical advantage was gone.

What else was there to wait for?

“Hmm?”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow, surprised at how decisively the three primordial Dao seeds fled. His immortal qi surged instantly; the Fated Blade Qi split into three, striking out in three directions at once.

Born from cause and effect, traversing time, they became three crimson lights, like falling meteors, slamming down and pinning the three fleeing primordial Dao seeds to the ground, killing them instantly.