Chapter 344: The Duel at the Summit - Part 2
The Dao Manifestation raised its hand, exuding a terrifying Sword Intent from every pore of its being.
Li Hao's gaze sharpened—this Sword Intent had likely reached a level nearing the Fourth-Level Source.
His Sword Dao had reached the Eleventh Segment, and the panel only granted him insights into the Third-Level Sword Dao Source. Li Hao estimated that upon reaching the Twelfth Segment, his Sword Dao Source would likely be elevated to the Sixth Level.
One segment per three levels.
At present, though his Sword Dao Source remained at the third level, the inclusion of the Nine Sequences, combined with the unique nature of his Sole-Self Sword Dao, allowed him to integrate the power of the Nine Sequences into his Sword Dao. Thus, while his source realm was still only at the third level, the true power he could unleash was far beyond that.
“Please.”
Li Hao raised his hand. A stream of silver-white sword qi formed in his palm, condensed entirely from Immortal Power.
Clutching the sword qi, he stared directly at the manifestation.
Whoosh!
The Sword Dao Manifestation abruptly lifted its sword light. Countless sword shadows bloomed like a torrential rain, then rapidly contracted and converged into one!
As the slash descended, it seemed to compress the very air in the void into nothingness. Only a fierce Sword Intent pierced the heavens and earth.
But just then, Li Hao raised his sword as well. An ancient Immortal Art of the Sword Dao burst from his hand in a dazzling light.
Azure Sky!
In an instant, the sword light flared with unmatched brilliance, like a star bursting forth, dazzling the eyes of countless spectators.
The single sword strike—centered upon the Nine Sequences—contained a terrifying force. It swept forth without hindrance, irresistible, cleaving apart the manifestation's sword qi, and even severing its body in a single blow!
“What a sword…”
The manifestation's body gradually faded into mist, leaving only those two final words behind.
The sword qi in Li Hao’s hand dispersed, and his formerly fierce aura swiftly retracted, returning to calm.
Like a hunter who had just bared his crimson fangs, only to sheath them a heartbeat later and return to a harmless guise.
He looked toward the nearby Dao Pavilion, where five figures sat in meditative silence. Among them was a face he recognized—the imperial princess who had previously tried to entangle him, Chu Yueli.
At present, her eyes were shut tight, lost in the state of Dao Inquiry Pilgrimage, unaware of the outside world.
The other four were the same.
Though all of them had reached the Immortal Lord Realm, simply defeating the Dao Manifestation was not enough here. One’s Dao Heart must also withstand the trials of Mount Inquiry.
Clearly, their Dao Hearts were insufficient to continue ascending.
Li Hao withdrew his gaze, ignored them, and stepped up the staircase. The summit loomed close—merely a hundred steps away.
“He’s so strong! He’s about to reach the summit!”
“That was the final Dao Pavilion’s manifestation before the peak—and he defeated it in a single move!”
“That sword… it must be an ancient Immortal Art. Unbelievable!”
“If he overcomes just one more test, he’ll reach the top!”
As countless onlookers watched Li Hao’s ascent, they couldn’t help but hold their breath. At this point, no one doubted anymore—this youth would reach the summit.
After all, the three Dao Pavilions had already delivered enough shock.
Whether it was reeling in the dragon clan’s Immortal Lord with his fishing line, or twice crushing Dao Manifestations in an instant, he had shown power far beyond the ordinary.
“Wasn’t that last sword just now ‘Azure Sky’?”
Outside Mount Inquiry, high in the sky, Emperor Jiang spoke with a slight pause.
The other emperors exchanged glances, gazes shifting toward the Supreme Sovereign of the Celestial Palace.
“The ancient Immortal Arts have not been buried. That is a good thing,” the Supreme Sovereign said calmly. “Such peak-level Immortal Arts are bound to be passed down by those who treasure them.”
The seven emperors rarely fell silent, but this time, they offered no reply.
On Mount Inquiry, Li Hao continued his steady ascent.
The closer he came to the peak, the more he felt a penetrating cold—not the chill of snow and ice, but a frost that seemed to rise from within, radiating from the depths of his very soul.
This chill intensified with each step, and Li Hao assessed that the remaining distance was something he could still endure.
When he reached just five steps from the summit, he glimpsed faint snowflakes drifting down. A deep, ancient desolation flooded his chest—as though someone whispered softly in his heart: What is the Dao? What is life?
Li Hao had no answer. He only knew that what he felt in this moment was life, and that the path he stepped forward upon—was his Dao.
Free of distractions, his Dao Heart remained eternal.
Li Hao understood this was Mount Inquiry's influence. Nearing the summit, he was finally tasting the mountain’s true trial—not through Dao Manifestations, but through the challenge to his Dao Heart.
With only a few steps remaining, Li Hao did not pause. He ascended them directly.
At that moment, atop Mount Inquiry, outside a towering ancient palace, several dozen figures were seated.
“Someone’s coming,” someone whispered.
The others turned, slightly surprised. They were among the earliest to reach the summit, meaning their journey had been swift, far ahead of the rest.
Soon, they saw the face of the youth who stepped upon the final stair.
“It’s him.”
In the crowd, Chu Tianhuang and Bo Ya Xuejian were both stunned for a moment, then smiled in quiet relief.
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