Chapter 485: The Twelve Desolate Domains
"Rewards? What kind of rewards?"
Li Hao asked.
"Not sure yet. Once the Ancient Immortal Realm Selection is over, His Majesty will come personally to grant them. The top ten will definitely receive special rewards, especially the top three."
Li Tiemu replied.
Li Hao thought about it for a moment. That did make sense.
"Then I'll give it a try."
The opportunity was right in front of him. While Li Hao wasn't one to compete blindly, leaving something he could take for himself would be a bit foolish.
"Just don't push too hard. This isn't the Southern Domain War. Some of your ultimate trump cards shouldn't be revealed so easily."
Li Tiemu reminded him, worried that Li Hao might use certain powerful but costly abilities just for a ranking.
"Alright."
Li Hao nodded. He had no intention of going all out. If he could succeed, great—if not, it didn't matter.
He waved his hand, bid farewell to Gu Yan and the others, then flew straight toward the desolate domain.
"Three years ago, he was only at the third stage of the True Immortal Realm. Now, he's at the ninth. His immortal energy alone has increased dozens of times over. He should at least be able to make it into the top twenty."
Murong Qingwu murmured as she watched Li Hao's departing figure.
"Top twenty?"
Nearby, the old woman, Zhou Qingyun, and the other disciples from Sword Abyss were stunned. Their eyes widened in shock upon hearing Murong Qingwu's words.
Lin Mingrong, who had previously learned from the Dream Master that Li Hao was among the top hundred, hadn't known exactly what rank he had reached. Hearing Murong Qingwu's statement now, even her usually indifferent expression showed a trace of astonishment.
"Old Li, what's your disciple's current rank?"
Zhou Qingyun couldn't help but ask.
Hearing this, Li Tiemu knew there was no point in hiding it anymore.
Previously, he had kept it a secret out of fear that the news would leak and make Li Hao a target for assassinations from rival sects.
Now, with the selection about to end and all sects soon to be informed, there was no reason to conceal it any longer.
"His identification number is 996."
Li Tiemu said with a casual nod.
Upon hearing this, the disciples from Sword Abyss quickly turned to look at the Immortal Stone Monument.
Lin Mingrong's gaze scanned the top hundred, quickly narrowing the range. Her divine sense locked onto a particular spot, and her pupils shrank in disbelief.
"25th place?!"
Her lips parted slightly as she let out an astonished gasp.
The others quickly followed suit, focusing their attention on the ranking list. They all took in sharp breaths.
"25th place? This… how is this possible?"
"I heard the top thirty are all within the Immortal Monarch Realm… That kid…?"
"I remember this identification number—it was ranked 19th three years ago…!"
The group was completely dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Hearing their hushed, astonished whispers, Gu Yan and the others fell silent.
Their cultivation levels weren't too far off from Li Hao's, yet their rankings were worlds apart. Three years ago, the difference was even greater—19th place versus rankings beyond 2,000. It was a gap too wide to measure.
The commotion attracted the attention of elders from other factions. Some even sent voice transmissions asking for clarification.
Li Tiemu, grinning from ear to ear, made no attempt to hide it and publicly revealed Li Hao's ranking.
As the news spread, the surrounding sects all turned their eyes toward them, their faces filled with shock.
In the Gun Abyss, where the largest number of disciples were gathered, three elders stood beside a young man in black robes. His posture was upright, like a golden spear piercing the sky. His gaze was cold and sharp, exuding an aura that kept the surrounding disciples at a distance. Their eyes, when looking at him, carried both admiration and reverence.
"What?"
One of the elders of Gun Abyss turned pale, unable to suppress his voice.
"What's wrong?"
The other two elders looked at him in surprise, their expressions shifting slightly.
The elder raised his head and stared at the Immortal Stone Monument for a long time before speaking slowly:
"Elder Li just said that Sword Abyss has a disciple with the identification number 996… ranked 25th."
"Hmm?"
"That's impossible!"
The two elders of Gun Abyss were stunned and immediately turned their gazes toward the ranking board. When they saw the number in the 25th position, they froze.
There was no way this was fake. Especially not when the selection was about to end, and everyone's identities were about to be revealed. If someone exaggerated, they would be ridiculed for centuries.
"25th place?"
Nearby, a young man who had been gazing coldly at the desolate domain suddenly focused his eyes. His sharp, icy gaze locked onto the ranking board, and his heart trembled slightly.
Three years ago, he had barely made it into the top 1,000. If not for receiving the Dream Master's guidance in Langya Illusory Realm and gaining enlightenment, breaking through to the Immortal Monarch Realm, he would have struggled to enter the top 100 now.
"That identification number…"
Su Yecheng stared at the ranking, his expression shifting. If he remembered correctly, three years ago, that number was ranked 19th!
At the end of the first round of challenges three years ago, he had memorized the numbers of the non-royal top 100 competitors.
He had thought those rankings belonged to top-tier geniuses from other celestial sects. He never expected that the real monster had been from his own sect all along.
"25th place? Sword Abyss has someone ranked that high?"
"Another Immortal Monarch? How come I've never heard of him?"
"Who owns that identification number?"
"I remember that number! It was ranked 19th three years ago!"
"Aside from Senior Brother Yecheng, our sect actually has another such dragon among us? This is insane!"
As the news spread, disciples from various factions were left speechless, their gazes fixed on the 25th ranking.
Hearing the growing discussions among the entire sect, Li Tiemu couldn't stop grinning. His face was nearly split in half with pride, though he tried to maintain composure.
Seeing his smug expression, Zhou Qingyun and the old woman rolled their eyes.
"Old Li, you actually kept something this big from us?"
"You don't trust us? You better treat me to a good bottle of wine after this!"
"We're cutting ties!"
Both of them pretended to be furious, but there was an unmistakable joy in their eyes. A genius of this caliber belonging to Sword Abyss was a great fortune for the entire sect.
Li Tiemu laughed heartily. "This was all for the greater good! We had to keep it quiet for now!"
"Get lost!"
Zhou Qingyun rolled his eyes. Meanwhile, the disciples standing beside him had complicated expressions on their faces.
At this moment, Li Hao had already stepped into the Desolate Domain.
Compared to three years ago, his return to the Desolate Domain felt much easier. Back then, just reaching the Fifth Desolate Domain required him to activate the Heavenly Star Meridian, but now, he effortlessly advanced to the Ninth Desolate Domain while still maintaining an abundance of immortal energy.
Even when he arrived at the Tenth Desolate Domain, his immortal energy had barely diminished. There was no need for replenishment at all.
It was important to understand that the power of the Nine-Floral Immortal Seal wasn't just about accumulating vast amounts of Dao Origin. Each additional petal on the seal resulted in a qualitative transformation of his strength, similar to the doubling of immortal energy when advancing in cultivation realms.
Back then, with the foundational power of the Nine-Floral Immortal Seal, Li Hao, despite being only at the third level of the True Immortal Realm, managed to break through to the Eleventh Desolate Domain. His cultivation might have been low, but the Immortal Seal compensated for it.
If a single-petal Immortal Seal provided a 1x multiplier, then a True Immortal at the tenth level with 500 immortal energy would have their power multiplied fivefold.
A two-petal Immortal Seal would result in a total of 1,000.
A three-petal Immortal Seal would bring that up to 2,000.
Upon reaching the four-petal stage, the power would rise to 4,000, and so on, with each step exponentially increasing.
Back then, when he was at the third level of the True Immortal Realm, his Nine-Floral Immortal Seal had elevated his strength to the equivalent of a tenth-level True Immortal with a two-petal seal!
Now, however, his strength was equivalent to a ninth-level True Immortal with 256 times the normal energy output!
Against an opponent with only a three-petal Immortal Seal, Li Hao's power was 64 times greater—just his raw immortal energy alone was enough to completely crush them.
Standing in the Tenth Desolate Domain, Li Hao calmly observed his surroundings.
Waves of Primordial Immortal Arts constantly bombarded the area, thundering down like raging storms. Lightning and crimson flames spread across the vast space, and from time to time, spatial fissures would silently appear, carrying destructive power imbued with Spatial Dao Origin. Only those with Second-Tier Spatial Dao Origin would even be able to perceive these hidden dangers.
Yet, to Li Hao, all of this was nothing more than fleeting illusions. His Ancestor Immortal Body, covered in a layer of pure immortal energy, effortlessly withstood the assaults.
The denser the immortal energy, the more terrifying the Ancestor Immortal Body became. It formed a protective true shield, capable of outright nullifying many divine abilities and ordinary immortal arts.
Without hesitation, Li Hao focused on the misty wall before him, raising his hand and forming his fingers into a sword stance.
With a swift motion, he slashed forward.
Boom!
A piercing sword light surged forth, slicing through space itself, tearing the misty wall apart. The complex intertwining Dao Origins within the mist disintegrated in an instant.
Taking a single step forward, Li Hao vanished from his original position, reappearing within the Eleventh Desolate Domain.
As soon as he arrived, a powerful suppression force pressed down upon him.
In addition to the Primordial Immortal Arts, there was also the presence of Immortal Dao Laws. This was the power of the Immortal Monarch Realm—capable of overriding domain rules and cutting through ordinary immortal arts. The sheer weight of these laws felt like an absolute command, an unbreakable order that had to be obeyed unless countered with equally powerful Immortal Dao Laws.
Li Hao's expression became serious, and he no longer held back his immortal energy.
He unleashed his full strength.
At the same time, his Extreme State power erupted.
Countless Heavenly Star Meridians materialized around him, forming a shimmering constellation of deep, mysterious outlines.
The moment he activated this power, the immortal energy he had just expended instantly replenished itself. His Ancestor Immortal Body surged to its peak, allowing him to directly resist the Primordial Immortal Arts here, suffering barely any damage.
It was crucial to note that the energy in the Desolate Domains was overwhelmingly powerful. In the same cultivation realm, only a few individuals could endure it. Even ordinary Immortal Monarchs would struggle to last long in the Eleventh Desolate Domain.
"Extreme State!"
Li Hao didn't waste any time and fully activated his Extreme State, merging his Dharma Form with his body.
He shot forward like a comet, moving at incredible speed. With his Fourth-Tier Spatial Dao Origin, he could clearly perceive the formation process of incoming attacks.
In this domain, Dao Origins condensed at an accelerated rate. Without the perception granted by Fourth-Tier Spatial Dao Origin, he wouldn't even have time to react before being bombarded from all sides.
The landscape was vast and eerily empty—he encountered no other challengers along the way.
His figure flickered continuously, traversing space like a ghost. Before long, he reached the inner boundary of the Eleventh Desolate Domain.
There, a crimson mist wall stood tall, flames burning fiercely across its surface.
Li Hao's gaze sharpened. Compared to three years ago, not only had his immortal energy increased, but his Primordial Soul had undergone immense growth as well.
And the strength of the Primordial Soul was directly linked to one's Object Manipulation Ability.
Over the past three years, in just the first year, his Primordial Soul Gold Bones had increased to 200. In the following two years, they had continued to grow. Now, he possessed a total of 560 Gold Bones!
It was important to note that each Primordial Soul Gold Bone was the culmination of numerous condensed soul veins.
In terms of pure Primordial Soul Strength, Li Hao could now stand against even high-ranking Immortal Monarchs!
Whoosh!
With his Dharma Form fully activated, a golden light radiated from the center of his brows.
At the same time, his immortal energy condensed in his palm, forming a dazzling, razor-sharp longsword.
Any energy he expended was instantly replenished, and the sword's aura surged, radiating overwhelming sharpness.
"Slash!"
Li Hao suddenly swung his sword.
This was not just the Qingtian Sword Technique—he also infused it with the Sword God Technique.
The fusion of two supreme sword arts manifested as twin streaks of light—one azure, one golden—cutting down in unison.
The crimson flames along the misty wall roared wildly, letting out a ferocious, distorted howl. Streaks of red lightning, infused with Destruction Dao Origin, crackled along the wall's surface.
Boom!
A crack appeared on the mist wall, but it wasn't large.
Li Hao's gaze focused.
In a split second, his body blurred—Time Dao Origin surrounded him, warping the flow of time within half a foot of his body.
With that, he slipped through the opening like a phantom.
"Look!"
"Hao Tian's ranking is moving!"
Outside the Desolate Domain, Gu Yan, Yue Xi, and the others were closely watching the Immortal Stone Monument when suddenly, the golden sequence number on the monument shrank into a streak of golden lightning and shot upward.
It rapidly bypassed ranks 24, 23… continuously climbing.
In the blink of an eye, it surpassed rank 20.
But it didn't stop. It kept rising, soon overtaking 17, then 15… and before Gu Yan and the others could even react, it surpassed 10, pushing the previous tenth-ranked individual down.
The golden lightning stabilized, and the ranking gradually became clear.
Rank 10!
For a brief moment, the entire Dream Nine Abysses fell into stunned silence.
Not just Sword Abyss—every sect was staring at that sequence number. Seeing such a meteoric rise, everyone was dumbfounded, eyes wide in disbelief.
In Gun Abyss, Su Yecheng, who had a tall and imposing figure, was also momentarily stunned, a flicker of disbelief flashing in his usually cold and indifferent eyes.
How… was this possible?
He was already at the first level of the Immortal Monarch Realm and had struggled to maintain rank 17 with all his strength.
Yet, just now, someone had overtaken him in an instant—jumping from rank 25 straight into the top 10!
"He… he…"
Li Tiemu was just as shocked, his eyes widening in astonishment. His heart pounded, and his face flushed red with excitement.
He had only casually encouraged Li Hao earlier, thinking that breaking into the top 30 as a True Immortal was already an extraordinary feat. But now—top 10?
That was the domain of second-level Immortal Monarchs!
"He…"
Yue Xi and Murong Qingwu were equally dumbfounded. They had always known Li Hao was a monster, but after three years, it seemed the gap between them had only widened even further, becoming utterly incomprehensible.
"Senior Brother Yecheng from Gun Abyss is only ranked 17th, and he's already an Immortal Monarch…"
"Could it be that Li Hao is also in the Immortal Monarch Realm?"
"Impossible…"
The ranking had shaken everyone. No one could believe it.
Meanwhile, within Wan Shan Sword Tower, a white-robed young man sat cross-legged atop a massive sword, his eyes closed in meditation.
Suddenly, a panicked voice called out beside him.
"Something's wrong, Senior Brother Xuan Yu!"
"Hmm?"
Zhang Xuan Yu furrowed his brows slightly and opened his eyes.
His longtime companion, normally composed, now wore an expression of shock and panic.
"Your ranking—your ranking just dropped! You fell out of the top 10!"
"What?"
Zhang Xuan Yu's expression changed drastically. His gaze instantly locked onto the ranking list, and there—his sequence number had moved down a spot.
A new number had taken his place.
He immediately shot to his feet, his expression dark with anger.
At the final moment—someone had overtaken him?!
Impossible!
He had thoroughly investigated the rankings from 11th to 15th. The competitors there were mostly royal clan members, all first-level Immortal Monarchs. Their rankings had fluctuated slightly, but none had the power to challenge the Twelfth Desolate Domain.
And yet… this sequence number… he didn't recognize it.
"Xuan Yu, your ranking dropped."
At that moment, a figure descended. It was Zhang Xuan Yu's master—an elegant, mature woman with a poised presence, but her face showed urgency.
"I see it."
Zhang Xuan Yu's expression was grim, his immortal energy fluctuating slightly. "Master, do you know who this number belongs to?"
"I've sent someone to investigate. But it's definitely not a royal clan member."
"Good. Then I'll wait two days. When there are only two days left, I'll challenge him directly before he has a chance to react!"
Zhang Xuan Yu stared coldly at the ranking, his eyes glinting with sharp intent.
He didn't act immediately. The more intense the competition, the smaller the difference between ranks, and the more cutthroat it became.
He was going to crush his opponent with everything he had!
—
At that moment, in the Twelfth Desolate Domain—
As soon as Li Hao stepped in, he felt an overwhelming and terrifying pressure.
His immortal energy surged like a raging flood, constantly replenishing itself just to maintain balance.
"So strong."
Li Hao's expression grew serious.
Suddenly—
He sensed a distortion in the void. His face changed instantly, and just as he was about to dodge, a lightning sword slashed toward him.
It was a Lightning Dao Origin manifestation, containing remnants of an ancient immortal technique. The blade moved at light-speed, aiming straight for Li Hao's neck.
Time Dao Origin!
Li Hao's immortal energy erupted, and the Time Dao Origin surrounding his body was pushed to its limits.
Freeze. Freeze!
His third-tier Time Dao Origin wasn't enough to completely halt the lightning sword, but it slowed it down slightly—just enough for him to react.
With that tiny window, Li Hao used spatial teleportation and barely evaded the attack.
The lightning sword shot past him and disappeared into the unknown distance.
Even so, Li Hao broke into a cold sweat.
Had he been struck, even with his Ancestor Immortal Body, he would have suffered serious injuries.
This was a domain meant for second-level Immortal Monarchs. For him, the pressure was immense.
"But… this is exciting."
Li Hao thought to himself. He didn't retreat. It had been a long time since he had felt such intensity.
His gaze sharpened, and he became fully focused, heightening his perception of the surroundings.
Suddenly, white mist began to spread, enveloping the area.
Li Hao's expression changed slightly. He knew this was another Primordial Immortal Art.
Without hesitation, he swiftly retreated, dodging to another location.
Just then—
A tiny black particle shot toward him from the distance.
At first, Li Hao paid it no mind. But as it approached, his instincts screamed at him.
That tiny black particle contained overwhelming Earth Dao Origin energy. If it touched him, it would unleash a suppressive force beyond anything he had encountered.
Dodge!
Without hesitation, Li Hao maneuvered like a phantom, weaving through the Twelfth Desolate Domain with fluid precision.