Although he wasn't the youngest among those previously tested, like Mingyue Jian, who was only fourteen, age was one thing, and cultivation was another.
Li Hao's strength was evident to all, and coupled with his remarkable achievements, many of the older generations couldn't help but sigh and shake their heads in awe. Some had only reached the heights they admired at the age of sixteen.
"Brother Hao is going up!"
"He really is heading to the Immortal Sect..."
Outside the crowd, Li Yuanzhao's face lit up with excitement, while Li Wushuang and Li Zhining's eyes held complex emotions. The brilliant pearl that had walked out of Shanhe Court now illuminated all of Great Yu.
After witnessing the previous challengers, they realized that the Immortal Sect's selection process was extremely rigorous, and they were unlikely to be chosen.
However, for Li Hao, this should be a breeze...
As the Bone-Reflecting Mirror revealed his age, Li Hao didn't linger and stepped towards the Ascending Stairway.
As soon as he took his first step, the power of the stairway's rules descended upon him, heavy as a mountain on his shoulders.
So this was the oppression of the Ascending Stairway?
Li Hao's expression remained unchanged, and his stride didn't falter. With a single step, he reached the tenth step.
At that instant, the two Ultimate Dao Stele gleamed, radiating divine dawn.
"The Extreme Dao Steles have been activated!"
"Two Extreme Realms! He's moving so fast!"
Exclamations of surprise rang out in the square as they witnessed Li Hao's effortless ascent.
Jiang Ziyan and the others were slightly stunned, their faces turning solemn.
They knew Li Hao was extraordinary, and such a development was somewhat expected.
Within the Immortal Sect, Ji Xuan and the other proud talents of the Ji family heard the astonished cries of the Great Yu royalty and others. They couldn't help but smile faintly.
They knew that this was far from the young man's limit.
Back when he was at the Ji family, he had reached four Extreme Realms and gained the favor of a Sage.
Now, Li Hao climbed the stairway with a lighthearted gait, seemingly unaffected by the increasingly oppressive force of the rules.
His body coursed with powerful Dao strength, far surpassing that of an ordinary True Immortal despite not yet fully consolidating the Hearing Dao Realm.
Soon, the third Extreme Dao Stele lit up.
Third Extreme Realm: Heaven and Earth's Law Image!
Before the cries of surprise could even sound, Li Hao continued his ascent, activating the fourth Extreme Dao Stele!
Divine Soul Extreme Realm!
As the youth passed by, each Extreme Dao Stele illuminated, leaving Jiang Ziyan somewhat dazed.
Four Extreme Realms?
Her clear and bright eyes lost focus for a moment as she reflected on her hundred years in the Saints' Land. She knew all too well how monstrous a talent it took to attain four Extreme Realms—enough to become a direct disciple of a Sage!
No wonder he could defeat six Dao Law Realm cultivators.
Her slender hands clenched slightly, and her eyes reflected the young man's figure.
Within the Immortal Sect, Ji Xuan and the others were also stunned. Previously, when they witnessed Li Hao's assessment in the Ji family, he had indeed activated four Extreme Dao Steles, but one of them seemed to be the sixth Extreme Realm.
Now, with the sixth Extreme Realm still unlit, did that mean Li Hao had attained five Extreme Realms?!
"This young man..."
As the people around them exclaimed in shock, the three towering and majestic figures standing not far from them also turned serious.
"Four Extreme Realms... To think there would be such a genius in the mortal world. Could he be the reincarnation of a Sage... What? The fifth Extreme Realm?!"
At that moment, Li Hao moved swiftly up the Ascending Stairway, and the fifth Extreme Dao Stele lit up.
Ruins Extreme Realm!
The previous murmurs in the square turned into an uproar, shaking the entire area.
Five Extreme Realms!
The most they had seen before was Ji Xuan, who had lit up two Extreme Dao Steles.
While they couldn't fully comprehend the significance of the Extreme Dao Steles, there were eight in total, and lighting up two had already caused a frenzy within the Immortal Sect. Now, Li Hao had lit up five, far surpassing the others, clearly showcasing the gap between them.
Was this the talent of the General of Heaven, Li Hao?!
The powerful cultivators within the Imperial City stared with wide eyes, struck speechless.
They had heard of the legend of the General of Heaven, and they knew he was strong, but now they were witnessing his prowess firsthand.
Outside the Imperial Palace, Ji Tianchao recognized Li Hao and stood frozen.
He recalled his third brother's words once more: "Bringing that child back to the Ji family was the last contribution I could make to the Ji family!" That third brother of his had fought countless battles for the Ji family and, in his final moments before his soul dissipated, he had brought back a peerlessly talented genius. Unfortunately, the Ji family had failed to grasp this opportunity.
Ji Tianchao's fingers clenched tightly, and he felt a pang in his chest.
At that moment, Li Hao didn't bother with a slow ascent and instead sprinted up the stairway.
The sixth and seventh!
Two more Extreme Dao Steles shone brightly.
Land Immortal Extreme Realm!
Eternal Indestructible Extreme Realm!!
As he passed, each Extreme Dao Stele illuminated, as if offering flowers to the ascending youth, adding to his splendor.
In that moment, the entire Imperial City fell silent, all voices hushed.
Ji Xuan, Jiang Licheng, and the others within the Immortal Sect stared with wide eyes, too shocked to speak.
The seven Dao Law Realm cultivators standing outside the stairway, who had previously been calm and indifferent, now wore astonished expressions as they watched the young man.
Jiang Ziyan stood rooted to the spot, bewildered.
"... "
The heavens and the earth seemed to have fallen silent.
Such a spectacle left everyone in disbelief.
The three towering figures within the Immortal Sect, their eyes once solemn, now widened in shock.
If not for their knowledge that the Extreme Dao Stele could not be wrong, and if not for witnessing it themselves, they would never have believed it.
Seven Extreme Realms! Unprecedented in the past and present. Even they had never attained such a level!
Many of the representatives from the various powers in the Cloud World were left in a daze, unable to recover from the shock.
"Who is he?"
The Feather Ancestor, with his majestic stature and eyes like the sun and moon, exuded an oppressive aura and the radiance of the Dao. He was extraordinary, but at this moment, he was stunned, his usual composure forgotten.
The closer one was to the Sage realm, the more one understood the enormity of attaining seven Extreme Realms.
Nobody responded, leaving Ji Xuan Shen and the rest of the group astonished by Li Hao's display.
Back in the Ji family, he had only displayed four Extreme Realms, but now, in less than a year, he had reached seven?!
At this moment, the youth on the Ascending Stairway continued his ascent towards the Immortal Sect's entrance.
As he passed the eighth Extreme Dao Stele, many narrowed their eyes, intently watching the pitch-black stele.
However, this time, the Extreme Dao Stele remained inactive.
This outcome caused a collective sigh of relief, as if a tight grip on their hearts had suddenly loosened, allowing them a moment to catch their breath.
The Feather Ancestor's eyes, which had been narrowed in concentration, relaxed slightly, and he exhaled softly. If the youth had activated all eight Extreme Realms, it would have caused a stir throughout the entire Saints' Land.
However, even with seven Extreme Realms, he was already enough to shake the entire Immortal Sect!
Once the news spread, countless forces would undoubtedly vie for him.
Even the Sages themselves would likely get personally involved in the pursuit of such a monstrous talent.
This youth was simply too extraordinary.
How could such a being be born in the mortal world?
"Seven Extreme Realms... Just one more, and he would have reached eight. And he's only sixteen..."
Beside the Feather Ancestor stood a veiled woman, her figure ethereal and divine. Her voice, laced with the resonance of the Dao, was elegant and lilting, and her words carried a sense of otherworldly beauty.
Upon hearing the Phoenix Ancestor's words, the crowd snapped out of their daze, only to be shocked once more.
Yes, that young man was only sixteen...
It was inconceivable, beyond comprehension!
Apart from Ji Xuan Shen and his group, the representatives from other powers in the Cloud Realm were equally stunned. They had seen reincarnated Sages before, but even then, none had displayed such explosive growth.
Unless the youth before them was a living Sage, but that was even more implausible. Sages would not bother with such trivial matters, nor would they reveal themselves in the mortal realm.
At this moment, Li Hao approached the final nine steps, arriving at the entrance of the Immortal Sect.
As they watched the young man standing outside the sect, although they knew he couldn't see them, a sense of tension filled the air. Some even swallowed nervously, an unusual feeling for representatives of powerful factions from the Saints' Land.
Their visit to the mortal realm was meant to give opportunities to mortals.
But now, they felt as if the youth was the one granting them an opportunity, and they weren't sure if they could even seize it. Such a monstrous talent would undoubtedly be pursued by all the major powers, and even the Sages themselves might get personally involved!
"This guy..."
Jiang Licheng had finally regained his wits, and seeing the young man so close yet so far, he felt a mix of astonishment and exasperation. Either the youth shouldn't have revealed himself at all, or he should have done so in a more low-key manner. Now, they, who had just been the center of attention, were completely overshadowed.
Ji Xuan Shen and the others exchanged glances, seeing the bitterness reflected in each other's eyes. They had thought that by chasing after Li Hao to the Saints' Land, they would at least narrow the gap between them. But now, even before they began, they had been left far behind.
Along with the bitterness, they also felt a peculiar premonition. Although they would be overshadowed by Li Hao's brilliance, they seemed destined to witness the rise of a Sage.
With such extraordinary talent, if Li Hao failed to become a Sage, they believed no one in this world ever could!
"He should have an Earth-grade Dao Heart as well."
As they watched the small pagoda spinning and preparing to test Li Hao's Dao Heart, the crowd fell silent.
With such exceptional talent, his Dao Heart was no longer the focus of attention. However, they knew that a genius like him would undoubtedly possess a remarkable Dao Heart, most likely at the very least a Mysterious-grade Dao Heart.
At this moment, the small pagoda outside the Immortal Sect, which had been shining with purple light as it examined Li Hao, retracted its light.
As the purple light was absorbed, the small pagoda fell silent.
A long time passed, and the pagoda remained inactive.
This unusual scene left the onlookers within the Immortal Sect bewildered.
"What's going on?"
"Is the Dao Heart Pagoda broken?"
Many of the representatives from the various powers expressed their confusion.
The three Half-Sage Ancestors were also taken aback, as they had never encountered such an unexpected situation before.
Regardless of the grade of the Dao Heart, the pagoda should have displayed some reaction. But now, it remained silent, as if it had fallen dormant.
After a brief silence, the Feather Ancestor, who stood at the center, suddenly paled, a look of astonishment on his face:
"Could it be that his Dao Heart is of a grade never seen before, surpassing even the Earth-grade?"
If it weren't for Li Hao's activation of seven Extreme Realms, he would never have entertained such a wild thought. But now, he couldn't help but consider this possibility.
Upon hearing his words, the crowd fell silent once more.