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Chapter 533: Ninth
"If the Dao heart is not firm, even with great talent and foundation, it is difficult to go far."
As the disciples from various immortal dynasties exchanged glances, the leader of the Immortal Guards spoke, "The second trial below concerns the Dao heart. Only those who possess both Dao heart and combat strength will be qualified to participate in the final battle of the top geniuses and compete for the peak of the Southern Domain!"
Upon hearing these words, some of the elders from the sects showed signs of joy, knowing that their disciples not only obtained Dao Fire but also had a strong Dao heart, making them highly likely to pass the second trial.
The leader of the Immortal Guards raised his hand, and a black and gold-colored plaque flew into the air with a gust of wind.
The edges of the plaque were surrounded by a golden dragon shadow, while the center resembled a flowing ink river.
"This is the Dao Fire Genius Ranking," he continued. "This first trial is ranked based on the amount of Dao Fire you possess. The top ten will receive a celestial weapon as a reward."
Hearing the leader's words, the disciples outside the secret realm of the Immortal Dynasties were all in an uproar.
"A reward? A ranking?"
"If I had known this earlier, I would have hunted more Dao Fire!"
"Senior Brother, you were too kind and left some Dao Fire for others. I didn't realize there was a reward."
"A reward? Doesn't this encourage others to rob more Dao Fire? This isn't fair!"
The disciples who had been eliminated were somewhat angry.
Meanwhile, more of those who possessed Dao Fire felt regret. If they had known about the reward, they would have hunted more Dao Fire. Now, they had missed the chance to make the ranking, and also lost a celestial weapon.
The celestial weapons rewarded by the Supreme were undoubtedly valuable.
Faced with the many murmurs, the leader of the Immortal Guards' expression remained cold and unchanged. He spoke indifferently, "We do not encourage plundering others' resources or snatching their spots, but reality is cruel. Opportunities will not wait for you; you must fight, seize, and struggle for them!"
"This first trial, we prepared three thousand Dao Fires and three thousand spots. But we know that in the end, there will not be three thousand who will advance."
"Resentment? Regret? This first trial is meant to show you that when facing an opportunity, you must be willing to pay any price to seize it!"
"When you leave your sects and absorb countless cultivation resources, you will become the pillar of the human race. So now, put away your naive thoughts!"
Hearing those cold rebukes, the voice echoed across the Southern Domain. Many ordinary people from various Immortal Dynasties, who had previously been filled with righteous indignation, now fell silent.
Indeed, although they were unwilling to admit it, they all understood that many tiers of society, from small merchants to royal families, were exactly the same.
If you want something, you must fight for it, you must struggle!
"If we hadn't mentioned it beforehand, it was to give others a chance. Otherwise, some of them might have absorbed most of the Dao Fires. This was the Supreme's mercy!"
The leader of the Immortal Guards spoke coldly, "Now, this reward is encouragement for their efforts. Since they hunted more Dao Fire, they deserve more rewards. That is fairness!"
Hearing this, those who were still somewhat dissatisfied were silenced and could no longer argue.
Meanwhile, many of the more worldly elders in the Immortal Dynasties couldn't help but clap in approval.
The compassion of the strong lies in silence.
They don't favor the weak, nor do they flatter them.
Seeing no response, the leader of the Immortal Guards raised his hand, and all the Dao Fires in the disciples' hands were drawn toward the black and gold Dao Fire Ranking, flying toward it.
Li Hao saw the hundred Dao Fire orbs above his head fly away. His gaze turned toward the distant Emperor Linchen, and he sent a voice transmission: "I didn't expect this. The Dao Fire you gave me, I'll return it to you."
"No need."
Emperor Linchen was a bit surprised upon hearing Li Hao's voice, then he smiled slightly and said, "It's just a celestial weapon. I don't lack it. This ranking isn't important. The final battle for the ranking is the real competition!"
Upon hearing this, Li Hao didn't insist on giving it back.
At that moment, the Dao Fire Ranking absorbed the Dao Fires from everyone, and gold light gradually began to appear, outlining names.
At the very top was the name of the ancient god youth, Shen Wuji.
Following him was Jianxin.
Li Hao's gaze scanned the names, and he saw his own name placed in ninth position.
He didn't expect that the Dao Fires he casually collected would allow him to gain a celestial weapon as a reward. It was a nice surprise.
However, since he already had the Tawo Immortal Weapon, if the celestial weapon rewarded was something with a special effect, it might be useful. Otherwise, if it was a weapon, it wouldn't be that significant and would just be given away.
"Hao Tian, this Dao Fire..."
Several disciples from Da Meng Jiuyuan looked at Li Hao, their eyes showing a hint of guilt.
Their Dao Fires had been given to them by Li Hao. Now that Dao Fire was useful, they were caught in a dilemma.
"It's fine. I don't need it from you. This is just luck."
Li Hao smiled lightly, signaling for them not to worry about it.
Seeing Li Hao's carefree attitude, admiration rose in the eyes of the others. If Li Hao had already won them over with his talent and combat power, now his magnanimous character earned their heartfelt respect, which had surpassed countless others.
Li Hao scanned the names and noticed that Emperor Linchen's name was at the far end of the list.
He couldn't help but shake his head. This Dao Fire Ranking didn't have much substance, but it would still leave a lasting impression on the countless commoners in the Immortal Dynasties.
At that moment, the leader of the Immortal Guards pulled out another Dao Fire Ranking, absorbing the Dao Fires from the Immortal Monarch realm group.
"Those who didn't obtain Dao Fire are also eliminated!"
The leader of the Immortal Guards coldly said to the few in the Immortal Monarch realm group who had no Dao Fire.
Their expressions immediately changed, some filled with shock and anger.
One of them spoke up: "We are in the Immortal Monarch realm! Eliminated? We don't even have a chance to participate in the final battle?!"
"Exactly. With three thousand years of soul longevity required, we've reached the Immortal Monarch realm. Shouldn't we be stronger than these True Immortal realm people? How can you eliminate us?"
The others were also shocked and found it hard to accept.
The leader of the Immortal Guards coldly responded, "Each realm has its own standards and realizations. As Immortal Monarchs, why would you compare yourselves to those in the True Immortal realm? Isn't that a joke?"
"According to the rules, the soul longevity requirement is three thousand years. We haven't surpassed the soul longevity, so is it a mistake that we've progressed too quickly in our cultivation?"
A youth in golden robes gritted his teeth and said, no longer caring about offending the leader.
"Once you step into the Immortal Monarch realm, you must follow the rules of the Immortal Monarch realm. Even if you're at the bottom of the Immortal Monarch realm, there's no need to participate in the following battles. Unless, of course, you want to compete with the True Immortal realm? Even if you win, what does it prove? Your advancement might just be because you used certain celestial materials to force your cultivation, which is why the Immortal Monarch realm and the True Immortal realm are separate!"
"Some want to solidify their foundation, while others only care about the results of this battle, seeking to quickly raise their cultivation. If you all manage to pass, then in the future, everyone will focus on advancing their realms without caring about their foundations. That would turn the Southern Domain Genius War into a place where people destroy their foundations just to fight for fame. It would be better not to hold it at all!"
The leader of the Immortal Guards' words were like thunder, shaking in the ears of the few Immortal Monarchs.
The few people who heard this couldn't help but turn red, as if their blood was boiling. The angry words that had been on the tip of their tongues moments ago could no longer be said.
Not being able to obtain Dao Fire indeed placed them at the bottom. While they were in the Immortal Monarch realm, stronger than those in the True Immortal realm, they could not compare to them in battle. If they fought, it was only natural that they would lose.
"How can you still argue when you can't even obtain Dao Fire?"
At this time, a disciple in the Immortal Monarch realm, who was holding Dao Fire, said indifferently.
But those words struck at their hearts, turning their faces blood red. They felt embarrassed and wished they could disappear into the ground.
As the Dao Fire Ranking for the Immortal Monarch realm rose into the air, names began to appear one by one.
Compared to the True Immortal secret realm, the previous battles in the Immortal Monarch secret realm had drawn even more attention from the Immortal Dynasties.
"That guy..."
Chu Yue Li saw that Li Hao had ranked ninth on the True Immortal Dao Fire Ranking. Her eyes flickered, and at this moment, her previous disdain for Li Hao greatly diminished.
Previously, his soul longevity was less than a hundred years, too young and inexperienced.
Such astonishing talent made her, with her pride, feel a bit of admiration.
If he really became her husband, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.
Now that she saw his ranking, there was a trace of pride in her eyes. Once the Southern Domain Battle was over, if her father insisted on a marriage, she might as well accept it.
He would be her husband, and with her father in the background, even if he had unparalleled talent, he wouldn't dare treat her poorly. After all, she was one of the most talented princesses in the Yan Chu Imperial Family.
This marriage also seemed to hint at her father's favoritism. Such a genius as her husband would be superior to her other sisters and might help her position in the future.
Li Hao, of course, was unaware of the thoughts racing through Chu Yue Li's mind. He was focused on watching the Dao Fire Ranking for the Immortal Monarch realm, and saw that Chu Tian Huang ranked sixth. He secretly smiled, knowing that the man was a killer at heart.
As the Dao Fire Ranking was displayed, the leader of the Immortal Guards took out the prepared celestial weapons to reward the top ten from both rankings.
Li Hao took the celestial weapon and found that it was a jade bracelet, with spatial Dao rhythm energy emanating from it.
He sensed it briefly and realized that this was a life-saving celestial weapon, capable of teleporting him over a long distance and leaving a mark in the void for pinpoint teleportation. Its range far exceeded his own movement speed and could save his life when facing powerful enemies.
It was an unexpected reward, and Li Hao decided to keep it for now. After thinking for a moment, he turned and gave it to Lin Qing Ying.
"Hmm?"
Lin Qing Ying was a bit surprised when she saw the jade bracelet Li Hao handed her.
"It's for you."
Li Hao smiled.
Although the jade bracelet was a valuable celestial treasure, Li Hao judged that if he encountered someone in the seventh or eighth level of the Immortal Monarch realm, they would likely have a way to block it. Therefore, it was more useful against enemies in the fourth or fifth level of the Immortal Monarch realm. For higher levels, it wouldn't work as well.
Thus, he decided to give it to Lin Qing Ying, as it would be more useful to her.
"For me?"
Lin Qing Ying paused for a moment, seeing the jade bracelet. Her cheeks turned slightly red, but she shook her head and softly said, "This is a celestial treasure, it's too precious."
"It's just a bracelet, take it."
Li Hao smiled and directly placed it in her hand, helping her wear it.
Lin Qing Ying's delicate hand was held by Li Hao. Her cheeks turned even redder, but she didn't pull away. She simply lowered her head lightly and murmured.
Nearby, Gu Xing Wan saw this and was about to speak but eventually fell silent.
From a distance, Chu Yue Li happened to see this scene. She froze for a moment, then an intense jealousy surged in her eyes.
What was this? Before even marrying, he was already finding a concubine?
Her face darkened as she glared at Li Hao, not bothering to hide her anger.
Li Hao, sensing the sharp gaze, turned to look and saw that it was the princess. He raised an eyebrow and shot her a cold glance, then turned away without saying anything.
Her attitude made Chu Yue Li furious. How dare he give things to another woman in front of her and act so arrogantly? He had no regard for her at all.
Far away in the starry sky.
The events unfolding before the secret realm were also reflected in the starry expanse.
A figure in a blue robe, traveling quickly across the stars, suddenly paused when seeing the scene.
The young man was putting a bracelet on the other woman, their eyes meeting, clearly showing a deep connection.
She had seen that woman before, but never expected that their relationship had progressed to such a point.
After a brief pause, the figure in blue continued flying through the stars, radiating with colorful light.
…
"The second trial will take place at the Dao Seeking Mountain!"
Once the celestial weapons had been handed out, the leader of the Immortal Guards spoke aloud, "You must have all heard of the Dao Seeking Mountain. It is made from the stone of the Heavenly Dao, containing the supreme principles of the Heavenly Dao, and it can also reflect the Dao heart!"
"Everyone, please follow me as we move to the Dao Seeking Mountain!"
He directed this to the emperors and sect masters of the Immortal Dynasties.
As he spoke, he raised his hand and lightly sliced through the void.
The space suddenly split open, revealing a massive crack, leading to another part of the continent.
Behind the crack stood a towering mountain, radiating an ancient and enduring aura, with a sense of having survived countless calamities.
"So it's the Dao Seeking Mountain. I've heard the Supreme once cultivated the Emperor's heart here!"
"It's a test of the Dao heart, I wonder if my Dao heart will pass."
"Not just the Dao heart, I've heard the Dao Seeking Mountain will also reflect one's own great Dao, forcing you to battle with yourself."
Some of the geniuses with powerful backgrounds discussed amongst themselves, their eyes filled with battle intent and anticipation.
"Your Dao heart, I wonder how far you can reach in the Dao Seeking Mountain. I'll be waiting for you at the peak."
Li Hao, while observing, heard Emperor Linchen's voice transmission.
He was somewhat surprised and glanced at him. He hadn't expected Linchen to perceive that his Dao heart was strong.
"Let's go."
The leader of the Immortal Guards called out, leading the group to the Dao Seeking Mountain.
The crack in the space shortened the distance, and they arrived directly at the Dao Seeking Mountain.
The mountain top was covered in white snow, with golden mist swirling around, and faint thunder could be heard.
However, everyone could tell that the thunder wasn't ordinary. It was the sound of the Great Dao's thunder, the reverberation of the very source of the Great Dao. If one could comprehend it, it would aid them in understanding their own Dao.
"The Dao Seeking Mountain, in addition to testing the Dao heart, will also reflect your own Dao realm's incarnation. You must surpass this incarnation to continue. This trial even requires you to transcend yourself!"
The leader of the Immortal Guards spoke coldly, "For ordinary people, transcending oneself is a rare enlightenment. But for top-tier geniuses, it is a necessary skill. Otherwise, in your future cultivation, you will face even more obstacles. You must surpass yourself at every step to go further!"
Everyone's eyes grew serious as they understood the difficulty of the cultivation path.
Reaching the Immortal King realm alone required great opportunities, not to mention pursuing even higher goals.