When Ren Qianqian brought several large cauldrons for the blood, Li Hao waved his hand, and the Dragon Soar Sword flew out. Its Sword Qi piercing the heavens, it charged towards the Black Bird.
Under the blade of this Divine Weapon, the body of the Black Bird Demon King was sliced open.
Li Hao severed its neck, and the life-rich treasured blood gushed forth, but Li Hao covered it with his power to manipulate objects, drawing it into the large cauldrons.
During this process, he also used his object-controlling power to wring out the moisture from the treasured blood, simply refining it, so that only the thick, fishy, and viscous alien blood remained.
The huge bronze cauldrons were filled to the brim, a total of nine cauldrons.
Afterwards, Li Hao sealed the cauldrons with iron water and set them aside for the time being.
Next, following the advice of Elder Feng, Li Hao plucked the gold-inlaid feathers from the back of the Black Bird Demon King.
The feathers were glittering with gold. Although the Demon King was dead, the feathers still flickered with faint golden light.
Li Hao collected all seven gold-inlaid feathers then proceeded to cut out the heart of the Demon King.
This heart from the Tao Heart Realm was covered with divine patterns and contained a profound and vast aura, with natural patterns formed by the power of heaven and earth on it.
If one could comprehend it, they would be able to understand the Tao Heart that the Demon King had comprehended.
Li Hao found a large white jade tray and caught the heart, half a meter in diameter, on it.
The flowing dark gold divine patterns still contained surging power, and even if left to sit naturally, they would not decay for a hundred years.
Apart from these, the other parts were also extremely precious, but Li Hao planned to share them with the martial artists of the entire city.
The other black feathers, though not suitable for crafting Divine Weapons, could still be forged into decent weapons, good enough for use up to the Heavenly Human Realm.
The flesh of the body was also extremely precious, and eating it raw could have great medicinal effects, but the Demonic Qi contained within was too powerful. It would be better to refine it before absorption.
After all, there are some differences between the Human Race and the demons’ constitutions.
The little white fox could eat it raw, but having grown up by Li Hao’s side, it had become accustomed to cooked food.
“Elder Feng will take care of setting up the pot and lighting the fire,” Li Hao said with a smile, rolling up his sleeves, ready to prepare the Black Bird Demon King for the feast.
Feng Boping also became excited about this shocking venture. All the martial artists of the city were in for a treat that evening.
Li Hao manipulated the Dragon Soar Sword, starting to pluck and debone the Demon King.
Ren Qianqian assisted Li Hao, searching for containers to hold the various parts.
When Li Hongzhuang learned of the news and rushed over, she was dumbfounded upon seeing Li Hao truly using his sword to cut meat, and beside him, preparations being made—setting up a huge pile of firewood and an enormous iron pot that had been sourced from who knows where.
This was a Tao Heart Realm Demon King, whose body’s value was inestimable, saying that a tael of gold per tael of meat was not an exaggeration.
Li Hao was actually planning to waste it like this.
“Hao Er, are you really going to cook with this Demon King?!” Li Hongzhuang approached Li Hao and asked, astonished.
Li Hao turned his head to look at her. Just before, this little aunt had also rushed to reinforce them, contributing to their side in the battle outside. Smiling at her, he said,
“What flavor do you like? Spicy or steamed?”
“…”
Li Hongzhuang had nothing to say in response.
Having defended the frontier pass for over a decade, she never imagined that one day she would have the opportunity to feast on the flesh of a Demon King, something she wouldn’t even dare to dream of.
Seeing Ren Qianqian struggling to find the right utensils, Li Hongzhuang stopped being coy. As a tiger girl from a military family, her disposition was rather forthright like a man’s, and she immediately waved over a deputy from the Bloodsha Army.
Soon, the canteen squad that always accompanied the Bloodsha Army arrived.
They brought bowls and chopsticks, serving utensils, and a vast array of condiments.
Watching Li Hao handle the corpse of the Demon King, the soldiers of the canteen squad all exclaimed in awe, feeling as if they were seeing something new.
They wanted to step forward to help, but they were all declined by Li Hao, who only allowed them to assist with menial tasks such as arranging ingredients.
Li Hao preferred to have full control over the cooking himself.
He dismantled the Demon King’s thighs and wings one by one and then chopped them into smaller pieces.
The Dragon Soar Sword, the foremost among the ten famous swords, now served the role of a kitchen knife, skillfully dismembering the Demon King’s body under Li Hao’s hands.
Seeing such high-end ingredients, Li Hao couldn’t help feeling a bit of regret. If only he had broken through the bottleneck in his cooking path, how much experience would cooking a Demon King from the Four Stands Realm have added? Perhaps tens of thousands?
Although it was his first time making a communal meal, Li Hao was not careless or perfunctory; he was extraordinarily serious instead.
Carrying the essence of cooking in his heart, he strove to make each dish as exquisite and delicious as if it were a specialty item.
Therefore, cooking a good communal meal was a deeper challenge.
Li Hao threw himself entirely into the process. The ordinary roaring flames of the firewood were not hot enough to stew the Demon King’s flesh and blood to tenderness, and stir-frying was even more difficult.
While cooking, Li Hao was also massaging the ingredients, softening them, and making them easier to cook.
When necessary, he would employ the Zixiao Palm to raise the temperature.
Now, having stepped into the Grandmaster Limit of Martial Arts, each of his many cultivation techniques was accompanied by another state—the Immortal Tao.
By harnessing immortal power, he could unleash more formidable might from the techniques.
This Superior Purple Sky Palm had also transformed into an Immortal Force Purple Sky Palm, whose steaming heat could easily melt demons and monsters of the Heavenly Human Realm.
Against demons of the Three Immortal Realms, it could inflict tremendous damage.
Used in cooking, it was a godsend for Li Hao.
During the cooking process, the residual will within the flesh of the Demon King would sometimes manifest, and Li Hao used his Spiritual Thought to shatter it.
The remnant thoughts within the pores and channels of the Demon King were gradually fading away.
At first, Li Hao didn’t notice, but later he suddenly had a peculiar feeling.
The ingredient itself seemed to possess a transcendent flavor.
At the Sixth Stage of cooking, Li Hao’s culinary skills had already reached the peak of taste buds, the ultimate enjoyment for his tongue.
Even in the best restaurants of the Imperial Holy City, Li Hao could take to the kitchen and assume the role of head chef.
But this was not the limit of culinary arts.
Spiritual Awakening.
At this moment, Li Hao suddenly realized that Spiritual Awakening in cooking wasn’t just about the ingredients themselves.
It was about cooking something else, something beyond what the flesh could feel—the soul of the ingredients!
Li Hao’s culinary arts had already reached the Sixth Stage, but he had never thought he would be the first to primarily focus on culinary arts as a means of Spiritual Awakening.
And now, it was an unintentional act, a spontaneously started cooking session, that suddenly seemed to touch the elusive bottleneck.
Li Hao gradually lost himself to the process.
He no longer eradicated the lingering thoughts in the Demon King’s flesh; instead, he soothed them with his own will, calming them from an enraged screaming state to gradual tranquility.
Those lingering thoughts still remained within the ingredients.
At this moment, what he was cooking was no longer mere flesh, but the residual spirit of the Black Bird Demon King!
The Divine Soul of the Black Bird Demon King had long been erased; this residual spirit could be considered soul dust, merely unconscious emotions and thoughts.
Therefore, most of the lingering thoughts were filled with violent and bloodthirsty auras.
But now, under the manipulation of Li Hao’s Spiritual Thought, they gradually softened and embedded themselves into the ingredients.
Meanwhile, these lingering thoughts also became a vessel, much like pores in meat, capable of absorbing seasoning and broth, bringing delight to the taste buds.
And so these lingering thoughts did, as Li Hao infused them with his grateful thoughts towards the many Martial Artists, allowing them to be absorbed, then immersed into the ingredients.
Unnoticed, panel prompts started to float before Li Hao’s eyes.
[Culinary experience +2712…]
[Culinary experience +2539…]
[Culinary experience +2934…]
He took that step, Culinary Arts, Spiritual Awakening.
The bottleneck of his Culinary Arts was also broken, and he could once again gain culinary experience points.
But at this moment, Li Hao was wholly immersed in his cooking, ignoring these prompts.
Just like when he had an epiphany at the Grandmaster Limit, he did not seek; therefore, he achieved.
The most precious things in the world often don’t come from seeking but naturally occur.
Just like life, conceived from the womb without asking for it.
Just like the sunlight that bathes the world, and the alternation of the sun and the moon, without soliciting it.
Mountains and rivers follow natural rules; to seek is to row against the current, causing water at the foot of a mountain to flow uphill, which can be accomplished with vast human effort, but it is not lasting.
And the ultimate Tao is natural and completes itself, just like this.
Li Hao’s mind had been on achieving Spiritual Awakening through the Art of Painting and Fishing, but he hadn’t placed hopes on Culinary Arts; yet it was this art that surprisingly came to fruition.
…
As the sun set and the evening glow spread across the sky like the blush of a young girl,
All the Martial Artists in the city, upon receiving the news, gathered in the center of the town.
The scent of the food had already spread, covering the entire Cangya City, even the Star Bureau officials and other elderly scholars on the city walls, who were still studying the carvings of Arrays, smelled it.
“What’s that smell?”
Xia Xiang Lan exclaimed, lifting her head and sniffing with her delicate, fair nose. She smelled the aroma coming from within the city and couldn’t help but look up, but being too far away and her realm too low, she couldn’t see clearly.
“That young master seems to have cooked the Demon King and is inviting everyone to dine.”
Next to her, one of the scholars projected his Divine Soul into the air, seeing and hearing the commotion in the distance, showing a hint of surprise on his otherwise expressionless face.
“What, stewing the Demon King?”
The others were all stunned, and the Star Bureau officials also appeared contemplative, looking up and murmuring, “That gentleman really is mad.”
Xia Xiang Lan thought of the gentle and jade-like young man in the courtyard, somewhat bewildered, finding it hard to associate him with such a wild act as cooking a Demon King.
In the center of the city.
The scene was set with many tables and chairs; the soldiers of the cooking squad helped serve the dishes—a variety of Demon King flesh cuisines were presented.
Stir-fried meat slices, steamed fatty liver, braised tendons, and more.
The Demon King was turned by Li Hao into more than fifty different dishes, with a diverse array of styles including hot dishes, cold dishes, and pastries made from a mixture of muscles and other ingredients.
A total of over a hundred tables were prepared, with more than fifty servings per table.
In the afterglow of the setting sun, Li Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat down at a table with Feng, beginning to eat.
There were no special speeches or words of thanks; all the emotions were invested in the dining table.
But Li Hongzhuang still spoke on behalf of Li Hao, saying a few words of thanks before announcing the start of the meal.
When the food was tasted, the flavors blossomed on the tip of the tongue, and the emotions and intent infused by Li Hao into the Demon King’s lingering thoughts were also conveyed.
In an instant, everyone understood the young man’s heartfelt gratitude, a collision of souls that surpassed words.
Some of the more sentimental women even had their eyes moistened with tears while they ate.
The only sound remaining was the clinking of bowls and utensils.
“You, this kid…”
Feng Boping, as usual, picked up some stir-fried meat slices and ate them. Soon, it seemed as if something flew out of the spicy meat, giving him an indescribable feeling.
It was like a consciousness injected straight into his heart, without the need for verbal communication, yet he could taste the intensity of the emotion within.
This was no simple dish anymore.
Li Hao had Ren Qianqian prepare some food boxes to send to the people of the Heavenly Observatory on the city walls.
At this time, he ate his own cooking, sipped his liquor, and although he couldn’t absorb the essence of the Demon King’s flesh like the others, he could attest that the flavor was indeed excellent.
In his leisure time, Li Hao pulled up his panel to check it, and upon seeing that his Culinary Arts had risen from the Sixth to the Seventh Stage, he showed a hint of a smile.
The feeling was not one of surprise but rather a smile of satisfaction, as if everything had naturally fallen into place.
The Spiritual Awakening of Culinary Arts also helped Li Hao find the way to Spiritual Awakening in the Art of Painting and other arts.
However, it would still require some trials and errors; after all, talking about it and doing it were two different things.
No matter what, he was now finally able to continue leveling up.
Outside of Heavenly Gate Pass, three thousand miles to the north.
There is a river called Red Water River, the water an ominous dark red, its bed studded with many red stones, and inhabited by water Demons.
By the lakeshore stands a mountain, at the foot of which there is a solitary thatched hut, where an idle old man often sits, a Demon of the Three Immortal Realms who calls himself the Red God.
The Red God commands the Demons within a thousand miles; this Red Water River is his ancestral ground, originally a Red Blood Python in the river, which, after swallowing the sun and moon for three hundred years, transformed into a flood dragon and then hunted for food everywhere, eventually reaching the Three Immortal Realms.
But now, the Red God in front of that thatched hut was kneeling on the ground, quivering.
There sat three figures resting beside the hut, all emitting tremendous pressure. Although they deliberately restrained their power, it still made the Red God’s heart tremble, not knowing how he had managed to provoke these three Demon Kings.
“Damn the Li Family, damn that old fart, damn that brat!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot, breaths heavy. He was gravely wounded, currently suppressing not only his injuries but also his rage.
His vengeance for his son’s murder had not been carried out, and he had also lost a brother in the process.
Furthermore, the cooperation with these two beside him had come at a great cost, with all his subordinates wiped out.
The millennium foundation he had built in the Wan Shan demon territory, all ruined in an instant!
His hatred for that young man in his heart was almost driving him mad.
“With that old Li Family geezer showing up here, the Divine General Mansion should be at its weakest in defense. I heard the Li Family still has two old biddies who married off years ago, one’s whereabouts unknown, the other stationed in the ancestral hall.”
“It’s a pity, but sending a message now might be too late. We should have foreseen this point. If we had contacted the Holy Palace or the Dragon Gate in advance, and had them lie in wait outside Qingzhou City while we executed that young one, we could have struck a heavy blow during this opportunity!”
The silver-robed youth squinted as he spoke, a hint of regret in his eyes—it was a rare opportunity.
“Hard to say, if the Punch Saint dared to show up here, it’s possible he might ask those two old dames from the Li Family to return and help guard.”
Beside him, the Dragon Lord shook his head slightly, saying, “Besides, those old fellows in the ancestral hall are no pushovers. If the Holy Palace and Dragon Gate are willing to join forces, then there might be some hope.”
“They’ve already been in touch with each other in secret.”
The silver-robed youth revealed shocking news, stating, “The people who came looking for us before, do you think they could have been summoned by merely the Great Void Realm? If I’m not mistaken, they must be banding together by now, and this Dayu Divine Dynasty should be split into ten states to let us have some comfort.”
“They are cooperating?”
The Dragon Lord froze, looking perplexedly at the silver-robed youth. These few powers, usually non-interfering and competitors for many years, could actually come together one day?
The silver-robed youth shook his head slightly and didn’t elaborate further, saying, “Let’s talk about us now. The Monster Suppression Department at the Frontier Pass will probably soon be on their way and put us on the wanted list. Those dogs from the Monster Suppression Department have very keen noses. Shall we continue together, or shall we part ways?”
Upon hearing these words, both the Dragon Lord and Wan Shan the Demon King remained silent.
“If we are to stick together, do you plan to take us to the Holy Palace?” The Dragon Lord looked at him and asked.
The silver-robed youth nodded slightly, sighing, “I left the Holy Palace in the past, hoping to live at ease. I didn’t expect that for Wan Shan brother’s matter, I’d be forced to return, bowing our heads. Aside from the Holy Palace, I wouldn’t want to go to the Great Wilderness Heaven; the lot there is too frightening.”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, had a chilling gaze, his heart still grieving over his inability to exact revenge, as well as Gao’s death. Meanwhile, his two companions were already considering their escape routes and destinations.
To put it bluntly, they came only because of the deal they had made earlier, indifferent to his feelings.
“I have no interest in the Holy Palace. What about you? If you were to go, you would probably choose the Dragon Gate.” Wan Shan the Demon King said to the Dragon Lord.
The Dragon Lord nodded slightly, sighing, “Going to the Dragon Gate isn’t great either. The Dragon Gate sent an invitation years ago, but I wanted some freedom and declined. Now, showing up there with my tail between my legs doesn’t look good.”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, sneered.
One talks about wanting peace, the other about wanting freedom—what bullshit!
They simply weren’t tempted by the benefits. They had all anticipated the worst outcomes of this operation and had their fallback plans ready.
“Since both of you have a destination, then let’s part ways here.”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, said.
He was injured more severely than the other two at his side and held some trepidation about traveling together.
“What about you? Where do you plan to go, the Great Void Realm?”
The Dragon Lord asked.
Wan Shan, the Demon King nodded: “Given the circumstances, that’s the only option. I hear those people are all about purity and detachment from the worldly affairs, ha!”
The Dragon Lord picked up on his scorn, unsure if it was directed at the Great Void Realm or at himself, but he didn’t mind and said, “The Great Void Realm is about to attack Liangzhou; you could take that opportunity for your revenge.”
“Revenge my ass!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, had an icy look: “Those fools’ battle plans deliberately bypass Heavenly Gate Pass, avoiding this thorn and deciding to fill their bellies first.”
Nothing but a bunch of brainless clowns… he thought to himself, but he didn’t vocalize this lest it reach the Great Void Realm and cause discomfort for himself.
“They have been in seclusion for many years; coming out now, naturally, they want to start with a full meal. It’s normal.”
The silver-robed youth said.
He then stood up, saying, “If that’s the case, I wish both of you a journey of a thousand miles and hope that when we meet again, we can still share a drink and a piece of meat.”
“Well said, we three have known each other for many years and have had some camaraderie.” The Dragon Lord said with a light laugh, presenting an amiable smile.
The young man in the silver robe smiled indifferently, not saying another word, glanced at the kneeling Red God on the ground, and without looking back, he turned and raced away.
Seeing this, the Dragon Lord said to the Wan Shan Demon King, “Old brother, I’ll be on my way too, until we meet again!”
The Wan Shan Demon King nodded slightly.
The Dragon Lord looked at the Red God and asked, “Are you willing to come with me to Dragon Gate?”
The Red God felt a bitterness in his mouth. He had cultivated for thousands of years, had adventured all over in his early years, and had heard of the demon powers mentioned by these Great Demon Kings, having received invitations from them in the past.
However, like these Demon Kings, he had declined because he wanted a quiet life.
He had been guarding this ancestral river for four or five hundred years, meditating and apprehending the way here comfortably.
But now, he could feel the implied threat in the gaze of the Dragon Lord Demon King when he spoke.
If he did not agree, he would most likely lose his life.
These three Demon Kings were wanted by the Dayu Divine Dynasty, and since he knew of their whereabouts, he would certainly not be left alive.
“I am willing.”
The Red God bowed his head, expressing gratitude, though bitterness filled his heart.
“Good, since that is the case, then come with me,” said the Dragon Lord.
“May I pack my belongings?” asked the Red God.
“Granted.”
Moments later, the Dragon Lord had taken the Red God and left.
Only the Wan Shan Demon King remained seated in front of the thatched cottage, his expression particularly dark.
Suddenly, a breeze drifted by and a figure in clean clothes slowly emerged from behind him.
The Wan Shan Demon King’s expression changed slightly, but he did not turn around.
“You have caused such a calamity this time, do you still insist on going your own way?” the figure in clean clothes said flatly.
“Heh, did he send you to take me back?” asked the Wan Shan Demon King, his eyes displaying ridicule.
“If you’re willing to eliminate your demonic nature and cultivate kindness, you can still be redeemed,” said the figure in clean clothes.
“You’ve never lost a son before, have you?” the Wan Shan Demon King scoffed.
“But this time, he wasn’t your first,” responded the figure indifferently.
“But he was my last!”
The Wan Shan Demon King suddenly turned and roared.
His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at the figure in clean clothes, “I will never be able to cultivate another son as bright as him, do you understand? You should know just how terrible my son’s talents were, with time, he could have united the entire clan! What damned Holy Palace, what Dragon Gate, they would all grovel at my son’s feet and listen to his commands!”
The figure in clean clothes faced his roaring without changing expression, calmly stating:
“Although your son was bright, reaching such a level would require at least a thousand years.”
“And given the current situation, I’m afraid he won’t have a thousand years.”
Wan Shan Demon King glared at him angrily, but he knew that what the other party said was the truth.
To reach that level, at least a thousand years were needed, and that would be considered incredibly rapid progress!
But those guys have become restless.
He took a deep breath, restraining his anger, and said in a low voice, “I cannot go back with you, I want revenge, I also have to avenge Gao!”
“You are obstinate and unrepentant, do you truly seek death?”
The figure’s gaze turned sharp.
The Wan Shan Demon King sneered, looking straight at him, “If you want to stop me, come and try.”
The figure in clean clothes stared at him for a moment, then slowly said, “Your demonic nature is profound, and you refuse to repent, if you continue to be confused, I can’t stop you, but some Cultivation Techniques you should not use in front of others, otherwise don’t blame me for coming to capture you!”
The Wan Shan Demon King’s expression was stern, but he said nothing.
“This is a Saint Heart Talisman, keep it to save your life, this is your last chance!”
A talisman wrapped in dark green light was handed out by the figure in clean clothes, coldly warning, before his figure vanished in a flash.
The Wan Shan Demon King took the talisman and put it away, his gaze turning dark as he sneered:
“Do they really think I’m a dog? I’ve cultivated for ten thousand years, I am a king, the king of the mountains and forests, the king of demons!!”
Infuriated, he looked towards the south, where Heavenly Gate Pass lay, and then, turning, he soared into the sky. When he crossed the Red Water River below, he raised his hand and furiously slapped down.
Demonic Qi churned within his palm, surging into the river.
The figures of demons playing in the river were suddenly filled with panic and terror as they looked to the sky in horror.
“Red God, save us…”
Some of the demons called out in fear, but their voices were drowned out.
In an instant, the entire Red Water River turned into a river of blood, its bright red color visible from the sky, resembling a sinuous trail of tears on the land.
And the figure of the Wan Shan Demon King had vanished from the sky.
Shortly after his departure, the figure in clean clothes appeared high above.
Looking down at the river of blood below, he softly chanted a verse and mused to himself, “Is this also considered subduing demons and eliminating evil?”
…
…
The next day.
Li Hao had the Nine Cauldrons Demon King’s Treasured Blood escorted back to Qingzhou by Li Hongzhuang.
This was the second favor he was repaying to the Li Family.
Although he heard that they were no longer in Qingzhou, it did not matter, as long as the item was returned to that courtyard.
What followed was only the last agreement, to guard for three years.
Since it was already past half a year, and spring was about to begin,
Only slightly more than two years were left.
The snow outside the Frontier Pass had stopped, but the cold wind still cut to the bone. In two months’ time, the regions to the south would welcome the spring rains.
And Liangzhou, being part of the southern regions of the Dayu Divine Dynasty, would see the arrival of spring earlier than places like Yanzhou.
Cangya City was still being built and perfected, the residential buildings within the city continued to rise.
People from the Heavenly Observatory were constructing Arrays on the city walls, and Li Hao flew out of the city to a solitary peak a hundred miles away.
He laid some hidden traps around him and then called up his system panel to check his attributes.
Now, his Physical Body Path, Control Path, Sword Technique, and Fist Technique were all at level 6.
His movement technique was at the third stage.
As for the Fishing Tao and Art of Painting, both were at the sixth stage, with experience points also nearly maxed out.
Chess was at the fifth stage, Musical Rhythm at the third stage, Poetry and Books at the third stage, and the Carving Arts had also reached the third stage, which Li Hao had honed during his spare time over the last half a year while polishing the Pig’s Tooth Sword.
The Pig’s Tooth Sword had been polished into the shape of a sword, but with the Dragon Soar Sword, the Pig’s Tooth Sword had completely become an ornamental piece, or rather, an artistic piece crafted through carving.
With his now seventh-stage Cooking Art, the total Skill Points he had accumulated were thirty-three.
He had already spent twenty-seven points, leaving six points remaining.
The abundance of Skill Points and the movement technique stagnating at stage three was because he had no energy to immerse himself in Poetry and Books or Musical Rhythm to break through to the fourth stage.
Without acquiring a new State of Mind to help break through the stage three bottleneck of his movement technique, he was temporarily stuck there.
However, in his attribute panel’s State of Mind section, aside from the already expended states like the chess State of Mind, there was a new state that had appeared.
[State of Mind: Cooking Spiritual Awakening (available for use)]
Without a doubt, Li Hao chose to use this state on the Physical Body Path.
First, he would raise his own realm.
Following the prompt to add points, Li Hao chose to use it, and afterward, the Skill Points disappeared. At the same time, his Physical Body Path broke through from the sixth stage to the seventh stage.
A long-awaited advancement!
In an instant, a torrent of majestic information poured into his mind.
The amount of information received this time made Li Hao feel slightly dazed.
But his present constitution meant these messages didn’t give him a headache, it was just that the sheer volume was like trying to cram the knowledge of a hundred books all at once.
Li Hao methodically digested and absorbed this information, and as he integrated it, his body also subconsciously adjusted and transformed according to these insights. His bones and flesh squirmed slowly.
The Three Immortal Realms:
Undying, Indestructible, and Unfading!
At this moment, as the Skill Point was invested, all the information about the three realms was revealed.
After a long time.
Li Hao opened his eyes.
He stood up and the many Physical Cultivation Skills on his panel had all transformed, reaching heights far beyond their original levels.
Physical Skills:
Golden Skin Hundred Refinement – Vajra (True State), which he originally practiced casually as a low-grade Cultivation Technique, had transformed to a high-grade one at the sixth stage of the Physical Body Path.
Now, it had transformed again — Hundred Refined Invulnerable Body – Immovable Ming King (Transcendent)!
Compared to the initial “Stone Skin Hundred Refinements,” the name had completely changed.
What’s most important is that Li Hao saw a new realm level behind it.
Beyond Perfection, beyond True State, a Transcendent level!!
Spiritual Awakening, Transcendent!
Li Hao understood and comprehended in an instant.
If the True State represented the ultimate manifestation of a technique by worldly standards, then the Transcendent level was no longer in the realm of ordinary Cultivation Techniques.
Li Hao took a deep breath and, all of a sudden, displayed the profoundness of this technique, Immovable Ming King!
Suddenly, as if a cold wind had stirred up the entire world, Li Hao’s muscles and flesh bulged, like countless small plates swelling and coming together. Every inch of his skin contained thumbnail-sized chunks of muscle, coalescing and pulsing.
In the end, the surface of his body had grown slightly larger, increasing his height from one meter eighty to nearly two meters!
This size was incomparable to that of Demons, but the aura emanating from his body was far more terrifying.
Those congregated physical strength and muscles seemed to be outlined on his body as fleshly talismans.
Behind him, a shadowy figure appeared, as if born from the power of heaven and earth.
The figure was like a Divine Soul, like a Dharma aspect, eight meters tall, standing majestically with hands in prayer, like a silent and peaceful deity, its presence so profound that even the wind stopped, not daring to disturb it!
That was the Transcendent force revealed by cultivating this technique to the Transcendent level!
Surpassing the technique itself, it was another power formed by resonating with the marvelous forces between heaven and earth!
Li Hao raised his hand and slowly pressed forward with a palm.
The Immovable Ming King shadow behind him also slowly lifted its palm, pushing it forward.
But the force generated by the two motions was starkly different. The shadow’s movement seemed to transform the entire world into a sea and thick cloth, moving extremely slowly yet possessing an unstoppable force!
On the ground two hundred meters in front of the mountain, the earth gradually depressed into a huge palm imprint crater.
Without any sound of impact, just slowly pressured into subsidence!
In no time, there was a palm imprint about four to five meters in diameter on the ground.
And Li Hao felt as if he had barely exerted any effort, merely lifting his hand.
Li Hao took a deep breath, feeling the surging power within his body, and a glow flashed in his eyes, overflowing with the urge to have another battle with the Great Demon King.
At this moment, as his practice came to an end.
His physical realm had also experienced a long-awaited climb.
Of course, this ‘long-awaited’ is relative to Li Hao, for others, breaking through the bottleneck from the Heavenly Human Realm to the Three Immortal Realms in just over half a year would be too far-fetched even for a play, and they would be booed off the stage!
But at this very moment, that blockade had naturally dissolved away, like ice and snow melting.
From the limit of the Grandmaster Realm, through the Land Immortal Realm, he had officially stepped into the Three Immortal Realms!
And directly surpassed the Undying Realm, reaching the Indestructible Realm!
His body was transforming, with the power of the universe pouring into it, constantly hammering at his physical form.
This mountain was engulfed by the power of the universe, like a hurricane enveloping it, shrouding the entire peak.
The vast aura alerted the people in Cangya City a hundred miles away. Many headed out to investigate, and Ren Qianqian, who was waiting at the foot of the mountain, immediately stopped the crowd to prevent them from disturbing Li Hao.
260 Chapter 40: The Three Immortals, The Pinnacle of Transcendence (Two-in-One Chapter)_4
Upon learning from this little girl that it was Li Hao who was cultivating, these martial artists were finally able to breathe easy, having initially thought it was some sort of demon attack.
However, even as they relaxed, the sight of this energy hurricane left them feeling both shocked and astounded.
Was this the cultivation of Dayu, the unparalleled genius of all ages?
This was like absorbing the power of Heaven and Earth as if downing a huge gulp!
No wonder the gap between them was so vast.
Compared to Li Hao, their cultivation was like counting rice grains while eating, one per bite, whereas Li Hao was feasting from an entire table with a full plate.
Li Hongzhuang also hurried over, and upon learning that it was Li Hao who was cultivating, she heaved a sigh of relief and quickly sealed off the area, instructing the onlookers to leave.
Despite these martial artists having come earlier to assist, the matter of cultivation was extremely secretive; even she, if not out of curiosity, ought to avoid the situation.
However, having previously witnessed Li Hao’s cultivation, Hongzhuang now felt mentally prepared for it.
Meanwhile, in the mist outside the mountain, Feng, holding a small wine pot, had been leisurely sipping now and then, but now he stopped in his tracks.
He stared blankly at the mountain, eyes revealing a hint of astonishment.
That kid… broke through to the Three Immortal Realms?
Fourteen years old in the Three Immortal Realms…
Even for Feng Boping, who had seen much of the world and could bear a lot, couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of his eyes.
When that kid enters the Four Stands Realm, he won’t be 20 years old yet, will he?
Thinking this, he felt as if his heart had been struck yet again.
It’s just as well, as long as I’m old enough, I won’t be considered his peer, that’s not too embarrassing…
Consoling himself with these thoughts, Feng Boping felt his mind broaden once again. Taking another hearty swig, he slapped his thigh, his face filled with mirth.
In the midst of the mountain, after practicing the mysteries of the Hundred Refined Indestructible Body and the Immovable Ming King, Li Hao went on to practice other cultivation techniques.
The original Thousand Flood Dragons Sage·Transform Into Dragon had now evolved into the Ten Thousand Flood Dragons Body·True Dragon (True Form).
This cultivation technique was inherently of a high level, meaning with his Seventh Stage Physical Body Path, he had not yet grasped its transcendent level.
Yet, its True Form was no less remarkable than the Immovable Ming King.
As he practiced, Li Hao’s flesh and blood throbbed, no longer confined by his body. Every part of his flesh seemed to harbor its own independent power and consciousness.
Li Hao’s physique rapidly grew more robust, his bones elongating, while the Power of Heaven and Earth swiftly nourished him, astonishingly forming patches of True Dragon scales on his body!
These scales, condensed by the flesh gathering the Power of Heaven and Earth, had already broken the boundaries of “ordinary men.”
Ordinary mortals are also referred to as those with common skin.
Upon entering the Immortal Realm, one’s body ceases to be mortal, capable of regrowing limbs, with an indestructible body and unwithering true strength, all signs of a transcendent level.
At that moment, Li Hao’s body broke free from its previous physical constraints, similar to how demons, upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, could use demonic energy and illusions to transform into humans, while still essentially remaining demons.
Now, Li Hao was able to transform himself, a more genuine change than that of demons, not an illusion, but through the reconfiguration of flesh and blood, altering the original structure of the body.
The exterior could change!
Accompanied by a low roar, Li Hao’s eyes emitted frightening golden light, his pupils turning a reddish-gold color, his hands became claws, and his body transformed into a small true dragon!
This was the incredible perception brought by the Seventh Stage of Dao in the Physical Body Path.
It was an understanding of the body far beyond that of a normal individual in the Immortal Realm.
As the body changed, the 48,000 pores all over transformed into 96,000 true scales, increasing the speed at which he absorbed the power of Heaven and Earth.
Li Hao instantly understood why the Dragon Clan was so dominant; their innate body structure made for a cultivation speed unmatched by humans.
The key was that the power absorbed by these scales could be rapidly transformed within the body.
Some demons, by their very physical makeup, could easily absorb power, but their internal pathways were fragile; if they absorbed too quickly, they would burst and die. Thus, they had to actively weaken their absorption rate to maintain balance.
This is also the principle of Yin and Yang that underlies all things.
The Dragon Clan, however, was different: rough and simple, absorbing quickly and digesting even faster!
In an instant, the aura within Li Hao’s body climbed once more, moving from the Indestructible Realm to the Unwithering Realm!
