In the silence, countless people widened their eyes, staring at the figure on the platform, holding a green sword.
Astonished and shocked gazes all converged on the young man.
Jiang Yingyue was stunned, as were Lin Shanhai and the many alchemists who knew Li Hao well, unable to believe the scene before them.
On the high platform, Yaozu was taken aback. Her eyes were slightly dazed, but she quickly recovered. This sword was no longer just a manifestation of sword intent; it was the Way of the Sword.
The other party's sword skills had already reached the divine, transcending the mortal realm!
No wonder he could master the Great Sword Technique so effortlessly within ten days.
Yaozu gazed intently at the figure, and soon, numerous thoughts and ideas surfaced in her mind. The other party was an alchemist, yet had such extraordinary sword skills—this was far from being just an alchemist.
Apart from Yaozu, the five elders, including Shanzu, all wore expressions of shock and surprise. Such a brilliant display of swordsmanship, they all saw that the other party's sword had already entered the Way.
In terms of sword skills alone, the young man before them was already on par with them.
The only difference was the strength of their sword paths.
And the gap between them and the Sword Saints lay in this very aspect.
All had entered the Way through their sword skills, but the paths they chose and the difficulties they faced were different.
Just as the Holy Son of the Moon had said earlier, lesser paths could not compare to greater paths. The Sun and Moon Sword Path was undoubtedly one of the supreme sword paths.
In contrast, the Gentle Sword Path and the Thousand Threads Sword Path were relatively inferior.
The seated Sword Saint's eyes suddenly focused, staring at the young man on the platform.
He suddenly recalled that the person he had seen carving and observing him in the courtyard earlier was the same.
"You..."
Lin Qingying looked at the split clouds and the cracked platform, somewhat dazed.
Was this his swordsmanship?
At this moment, Lin Qingying suddenly understood why he could guide her with his painting skills.
She also suddenly understood why she had never seen Li Hao practice. With such a high level of swordsmanship, ordinary practice would yield no further progress.
"Are you a swordsman?"
Lin Qingying was in a daze, finding it hard to believe. She had been with him for so long and had never seen him wield a sword. Instead, he was always busy refining herbs, painting, carving, and playing chess. Now, Li Hao was actually a swordsman?!
"Sort of."
Li Hao glanced at her and replied.
Lin Qingying's expression became complex. She had been practicing her sword skills in front of him all this time without any reservations. If she had known he was a swordsman, she would never have done so. After all, exposing her sword to another swordsman was a major taboo in sword practice.
"Well, it's fitting. Your sword skills match my sword. It can now be considered a sword with a worthy master."
Her eyes dimmed as she whispered.
"This is your sword."
Li Hao looked at her intently. The Sun and Moon Sword Intent had deeply infiltrated her mind, causing her sword skills to deteriorate severely. She couldn't even recognize her own sword path.
"My sword?"
Lin Qingying was stunned, then looked at the cracks on the ground. Could her sword have such power?
At this moment, the Holy Son of the Moon slowly turned around. The previously calm and indifferent expression on his face had now turned cold and icy, with a fierce and burning killing intent in his eyes.
The close-range sword strike just now had made his hair stand on end, giving him a bone-chilling feeling. Under that feeling, his sword path had even become somewhat unstable. The other party had actually influenced his sword path!
This was absolutely intolerable!
"Is this the confidence you have to challenge me?"
The Holy Son of the Moon radiated a fierce divine light, but his eyes were cold.
"Alright, I accept your challenge!"
Hearing the Holy Son of the Moon's words, there was a chorus of gasps from the audience. The Holy Son of the Moon was going to engage in a sword duel with the other party?
But at this moment, no one doubted it. The sword that had cut through the heavens and earth just now had made many disciples realize that this Qingfeng Alchemist was no ordinary figure. Perhaps they should call him Qingfeng Swordsman!
Lin Qingying's expression changed slightly when she heard the Holy Son of the Moon's words, but she looked at Li Hao intently and said,
"Besides his sword skills, his own strength is also very powerful. Be careful. I'll step down to avoid hindering you."
At this moment, she had already realized that Li Hao's strength was also far from simple.
"No need."
Li Hao shook his head and didn't let her leave.
This sword was for her, and he intended to shatter the Sun and Moon Sword Intent in her mind, helping her rebuild her sword heart and sword intent!
Lin Qingying was stunned, looking at Li Hao with confusion.
If it were earlier, she would have thought Li Hao was insane, unable to see the formidable power of the Holy Son of the Moon as an alchemist. But now, with the sword skills Li Hao had displayed, it was clear he was also a swordsman, and the duel would be measured accordingly.
Li Hao's words spread, causing a stir in the audience.
Facing the Holy Son of the Moon, who had just claimed the title of Sword God and was the strongest young master in the sacred land, how could he dare to speak so arrogantly?!
Was he really so confident that one sword would be enough to defeat the Holy Son of the Moon?!
On the holy platform, Qi Wuhen, Bian Ruxue, and the other holy sons and daughters were also slightly dazed.
Li Hao's sword strike just now had been too shocking, completely surpassing their sword skills, entering the Way!
Qi Wuhen's face also showed shock, finding it hard to believe that the young man who fished with him at the Sword Master's side was also a swordsman!
During their usual fishing sessions, the other party always looked delighted when he caught something, showing no signs of practicing sword skills through fishing.
But now, the sword path he had displayed far exceeded his own.
The difference between sword intent and the Way of the Sword seemed small, but it was actually vast.
Without enlightenment, one would remain outside the door, wasting their life.
If he awakens to the Dao, a single step will take him from the mundane to the extraordinary, transcending the mortal realm!
Xue Bianru's eyes seemed to lose focus, dazzled by that brilliant sword strike. It gave her a fleeting glimpse of the ultimate sword technique.
Has someone else already come close to what she seeks?
On the arena, Holy Son Haoyue also heard Li Hao's unmasked words, a cold and lethal intent flickering in his eyes.
But he restrained himself, his voice icy. "Since you are so confident, let me see what you've got. Don't disappoint me!"
As he spoke, his aura surged, and the Pulse of Heaven and Earth appeared behind him, like a vortex reaching to the heavens.
Divine power erupted, turning his hair a dazzling golden hue.
Then his spirit merged with his body, and a majestic celestial avatar emerged.
This was the first time he revealed his celestial avatar, but Li Hao's close-range sword strike earlier was enough to make him take this seriously!
In this sword duel, he was reclaiming his sword path, and he could not afford to lose!
He believed his master had also seen this, which was why there was no interference or questioning of Li Hao's identity.
As numerous peak realms were unveiled, the 49 layers of the Dao Domain also emerged, but this time, they ascended to 56 layers!
In the previous battles, Holy Son Haoyue had been holding back!
This scene shocked many spectators. At such a decisive moment, no one could force him to reveal his full strength, truly living up to his title as a Sword God, far surpassing others!
Outside the arena, an array had reformed, created by a semi-Saint, capable of withstanding Holy Son Haoyue's attacks.
Lin Qingying stood beside Li Hao, but a whirlwind of energy seemed to surround them. The surging power gathered ahead, and just standing here, she felt an unprecedented pressure.
She looked up at the peerless figure standing in mid-air, who had suppressed a million disciples of the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, a true prodigy. He now displayed his supreme prowess.
Her gaze fell back on Li Hao, who remained calm, holding the green sword, seemingly unmoved by the scene before him.
"Sun and Moon Sword Intent, Heaven and Earth Reflect!"
Holy Son Haoyue's eyes glowed like golden wheels of the sun and moon, emitting a blinding divine light. He let out a long, resounding howl, and the clouds and moon in the sky parted, the sun and moon appearing simultaneously.
His body merged with the celestial avatar, a towering figure a hundred feet tall.
In his hand, he condensed the Sun and Moon Sword Light, the brilliant and surging sword intent making all the disciples outside the array feel a vast and awe-inspiring presence.
On the Holy Platform, many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters changed color, their eyes filled with deep dread and shock.
He was too strong. Though they were all Holy Sons, Holy Son Haoyue had surpassed them by a great margin!
Such a sword intent, if he awakened to the Dao, his Sun and Moon Great Dao would be among the strongest even among the semi-Saints.
The light and power converged in the sky, and in the next moment, Holy Son Haoyue's avatar, with the ferocity of an enraged deity, slashed down at Li Hao.
The sword light reflected the heavens, carrying the oppressive force of the sun, moon, and stars, as if it could shatter the entire arena!
Facing this Sun and Moon Sword Intent again, Lin Qingying's pupils contracted, fear evident in her eyes. The Sun and Moon Sword Intent in her mind became clearer and more chaotic, filling her consciousness and making her feel an irresistible dread.
It was a lifelong shadow, a mark left by the sword intent that would instill fear in her heart no matter her realm, whenever she encountered it!
She clenched her fingers tightly, biting her lip until it bled, but she stood firm, refusing to be intimidated.
Amidst the overwhelming divine power, a gentle breeze seemed to stir.
"The softest thing under heaven overcomes the hardest thing under heaven!"
A soft whisper sounded, and Li Hao lifted his sword, his gaze passing over the numerous notifications of increased poetry and book experience on the interface.
The green sword suddenly emitted a brilliant sword light, like a thunderbolt, a lightning strike, and a gust of wind.
The wind swept, and the green sword met the divine power, guiding it gently, like a celestial being pointing the way.
With a three-foot sword, he struck the majestic avatar's divine sword light, a small but profound impact.
With a resounding boom, the seemingly fierce Sun and Moon Divine Sword suddenly paused, then shattered, exploding into a fiery shower of dust!
The breeze swept along the divine sword, penetrating the majestic avatar.
Holy Son Haoyue, standing in front of the avatar's chest, suddenly felt a gentle sword intent, devoid of killing intent or ferocity, like a breeze that could not be captured or discerned.
His eyes filled with shock and rage as he roared, using his Dao Domain to suppress it.
But the gentle sword intent weaved through the layers of the Dao Domain, passing over his neck.
A thin, cutting wound appeared, blood seeping out.
The wound refused to heal, the residual sword intent preventing it!
Holy Son Haoyue's body trembled, his pupils contracting to the extreme, shock and disbelief evident in his eyes.
He reached up to touch his neck, the wound small but deeply humiliating.
There was no doubt about it; in this sword contest, the other side had won.
"How is this possible?!"
Holy Son Haoyue was incredulous, unable to understand how his sword path, which dominated the heavens and earth, grounded in the sun and moon, could be defeated!
On the Holy Platform, the many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters were stunned. The wound on Holy Son Haoyue's neck, though small, was clearly visible. The seemingly gentle sword strike had penetrated his Dao Domain and struck him directly.
Was this what it meant to awaken to the Dao in swordsmanship?
Several semi-Saints, including Yaozu, had grave expressions. Not only had the other side awakened to the Dao in swordsmanship, but this supreme soft sword path was even stronger and more terrifying than they had imagined.
After all, no one present had used the supreme soft sword path to awaken to the Dao.
The levels of swordsmanship varied, and only through a contest could their strengths be determined.
Li Hao glanced at the other side, ignoring the shock and rage on his opponent's face, and turned to look at Lin Qingying.
This strike was more of a demonstration for Lin Qingying than an actual battle.
Lin Qingying stood there, dazed, as the Sword Intent of the Sun and Moon in her mind was shattered by the gentle breeze Li Hao had just unleashed. That breeze and the flash of the snow-white sword blade were now etched into her heart.
This was the Ultimate Soft Sword Technique.
By following the impression left in her mind, she would eventually master this sword technique.
The previously shattered Sword Intent now reassembled itself.
Her eyes showed a mix of confusion and enlightenment. Ultimate softness—was this what it truly meant?
"The softest is the hardest, the weakest is the strongest."
Li Hao murmured softly, "Softness at its peak is not water, nor wind, but atoms!"
"Atoms?"
Lin Qingying was taken aback, her eyes filled with doubt. She had never heard of such a term.
Li Hao knew that, in this world, it was difficult to explain. However, those who cultivated the Ultimate Soft Sword Technique would eventually reach this level of understanding, though they might use different terms. It could also be called the Ultimate Minute!
"Grains of sand can form mountains, and mountains and rivers can form the world. But what forms the grains of sand? What composes water? What condenses into wind?"
Li Hao spoke softly, both asking and guiding.
Lin Qingying was stunned, her eyes showing a deep contemplation. She vaguely understood what Li Hao was saying, and it left her feeling somewhat shaken.
Was this the Ultimate Soft Sword Technique?
Using the fundamental elements of all things, the Sun and Moon, though vast, are ultimately built from the tiniest components.
Thus, the Ultimate Soft Sword Technique was not a minor path but an incredibly terrifying major path!
Realizing this, Lin Qingying was deeply shaken. She even felt that if she could truly comprehend this, its strength might surpass the Sword Saint's Path of All Beings!
At that moment, she suddenly understood why Li Hao's seemingly effortless strike had shattered the vast and powerful Sword of the Sun and Moon.
At the most minute level, there were too many flaws and vulnerabilities in the opponent's sword technique, all part of its trajectory!
"Is this... my sword technique?"
Lin Qingying was momentarily lost in thought, but then she thought of something and looked at Li Hao.
"This is my sword technique. Do you cultivate the Ultimate Soft Sword Intent as well? Or are you just..."
Her heart trembled, and she hesitated to ask further.
If Li Hao was merely demonstrating her sword technique, it meant he had his own sword technique!
Mastering two sword techniques!
If just her sword technique demonstration was so terrifying, what about Li Hao's own sword technique? How powerful would it be?!
As they conversed, the face of the Holy Moon Son twisted in anger. His opponent was fighting him but not focusing on him, instead helping Lin Qingying reconstruct her sword technique.
This utter disregard completely enraged him.
"Show me your own sword technique and fight me!"
He growled angrily.
Li Hao looked up at him, his expression indifferent. "My sword technique, you are not worthy to see."
The Holy Moon Son's face twitched as if he had been slapped hard, feeling a mix of anger and powerlessness.
He knew that with just Li Hao's sword technique, he could not possibly defeat him.
He had lost this battle, and the Sun and Moon Sword Technique, which had just reached a new level, now showed cracks, leaving him feeling as if his mind was about to collapse.
"Hiding behind shadows, what kind of skill is that? You master such a sword technique, yet you pretend to be an alchemist. Who are you, and what are your intentions for infiltrating our Sword Ancestor's Holy Land?!"
The Holy Moon Son's eyes flashed with cold light as he stared intently at Li Hao.
He hadn't questioned Li Hao earlier, intending to defeat him first before passing judgment, to perfect his own sword technique. Now that his sword technique was compromised, he only wanted to crush Li Hao to dust.
Hearing the Holy Moon Son's words, Lin Qingying snapped back to reality, her face changing.
She suddenly realized that Li Hao, with such extraordinary sword skills, was far from an ordinary person. The severe injuries he had sustained from his enemies' pursuit likely meant he had faced extremely powerful foes, possibly even those approaching the status of a Half-Saint.
Revealing such sword skills for her sake was extremely dangerous and would come at a great cost.
Thinking of this, her face turned grim, and she took a step forward, shielding Li Hao.
"Qingfeng was injured and I brought him back to the Holy Land to recover. He did not intentionally infiltrate our Holy Land and has never done anything to harm it."
The Holy Moon Son sneered. "How do you know he wasn't deliberately injured to get closer? You are merely being used. Coincidentally, during the crucial moment of the Sword God's Battle, he came to our Holy Land to spy on our sword techniques and learn our sword methods. Furthermore, how does he know your sword technique? Teaching sword techniques to outsiders is a serious offense!"
Lin Qingying's face turned even grimmer. She hadn't intentionally taught him, but if Li Hao was a swordsman, practicing in front of him was the same as teaching.
"False accusations are easy to make. You are just angry because you lost in sword technique."
Li Hao said calmly.
He had known this would be the result when he stood up for Lin Qingying. He had already calculated the consequences.
But he would still do it. He repaid kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity. That was his true nature, and if he lost it, he would no longer be himself.
He was willing to risk everything to avenge a wrong, so why not to repay a debt of gratitude?
Hearing Li Hao's words, the Holy Moon Son's face contorted, his lips twitching. He clenched his teeth, suppressing his anger to avoid losing his composure.
"Once my Sun and Moon Sword Intent reaches the Dao, I might not be unable to slay you. It is just a minor path. In ten years, I will surely reach the Dao!"
His eyes showed a murderous intent. There were many who were stronger than him, such as the Half-Saint elders and the few past prodigies who had reached the Dao Law Realm within the Holy Land. Their cultivation was longer and they were stronger, and he could accept that.
In a hundred years, he would only be stronger.
Li Hao knew that the Holy Moon Son was reinforcing his Dao Heart and sword technique with these words. He didn't bother to say more. With that one strike, he could have shattered the other's Sword Intent and left a sword in his mind, just as the other had done to Lin Qingying.
But Li Hao knew that such significance was minimal. The other party's master was a Sword Saint, capable of breaking through his sword intent with a single move.
The victor on the stage was clear. When the crowd saw that the Bright Moon Holy Son had truly been defeated, the spectators fell into an eerie silence, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
The youngest and most powerful prodigy of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land had been defeated by swordsmanship. Who was this old monster?
Yaozu's gaze shifted from Li Hao, her eyes flickering. She then turned her attention to the Sword Saint. Her beloved disciple had been defeated, and now his swordsmanship was fractured, requiring her to mend it. She wondered how the other party would handle the situation.
She thought of the painting and the pure, clear eyes of the young man. With a gentle sigh, her voice, soft like a celestial melody, spoke:
"Alchemist Qingfeng, according to Saintess Qingying, you were injured and wandered here. With your strength, you must be a Holy Son of some holy land, correct?"
During Li Hao's earlier duel, the sword aura he wielded could mask his true nature, but the power he released exposed his cultivation level, which was at the Enlightenment Realm.
Such a realm and such swordsmanship, capable of easily defeating the Bright Moon Holy Son, indicated that this person was no ordinary individual.
If she were to believe that another holy land's Holy Son had personally infiltrated here and exposed himself to stand up for Lin Qingying, she would find it hard to believe.
She knew that the other half-saint elders could see through this as well and would not believe it. Sometimes, the truth didn't matter. Just as the Bright Moon Holy Son publicly crippled Lin Qingying, that was the truth, but people cared more about the outcome, about the status of those involved.
People always admired the strong. The whispers of the strong were listened to, while the cries of the weak were ignored.
Even the same words, when spoken by the weak, would only invite ridicule, while the words of the strong were treated as the wisdom of the sages.
By speaking now, Yaozu was guiding the crowd to recognize Li Hao's significant status. A person of such caliber would not risk infiltrating the Sword Ancestor Holy Land to spy and learn.
Li Hao quickly understood Yaozu's intent. He looked at her, seeing her smiling gaze, and felt a touch of gratitude. She was willing to vouch for him because of the painting he had gifted her.
"I am indeed injured and have taken refuge here, recuperating in Saintess Qingying's courtyard, with no intention of offending the holy land," Li Hao said softly.
Yaozu nodded slightly and smiled, "What are your plans now? Do you intend to join our Sword Ancestor Holy Land and become a disciple of our sect, or return to your original place?"
The Sword Master had asked Li Hao the same question. Li Hao had initially planned to stay in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, diligently practicing carving, fishing, and chess, aiming to reach the eighth or ninth rank in these arts or achieve the tenth rank in one of them. This would allow him to become a saint through the Dao of Alchemy and seek revenge on the False Saint.
But now, he knew that such a peaceful life was no longer possible.
Where there is conflict, there is trouble, and there can be no peace.
"I am willing to become a disciple of your sect, but I have a great enemy. If I join your sect, it might bring calamity to you."
Li Hao bowed and said softly.
Yaozu smiled, "Are you being pursued by your enemy? Your swordsmanship is so powerful; your enemy must not be a half-saint, right? Even if it were, our Sword Ancestor Holy Land can protect you!"
The other mountain ancestors and elders looked at Li Hao, sensing Yaozu's meaning. With Li Hao's swordsmanship and strength, regardless of his age, he was a prodigy. It would indeed be a good thing to recruit him into the holy land.
Li Hao fell silent for a moment. He knew that some things had to be clarified now, otherwise, he couldn't explain himself.
"More than one."
He said softly.
"More than one?"
Yaozu was taken aback, her eyes narrowing, "More than one half-saint?"
Lin Qingying also looked at Li Hao, her eyes wide with shock. When Li Hao was severely injured, more than one half-saint had been pursuing him?
How could that be? A half-saint's attack was already terrifying, let alone more than one.
Li Hao shook his head, "Not a half-saint."
Hearing this, Yaozu was stunned, her pupils contracting. If not a half-saint, could it be a saint?
His enemy was actually a saint?!
Lin Qingying also reacted, her eyes wide with shock. Li Hao had been severely injured by a saint?!
The Bright Moon Holy Son, hovering in mid-air, also heard this and his face changed, looking at the sword-wielding youth with shock. His enemy was a saint?!
The many disciples below also realized this. A saint was like the sun and moon in the sky, unreachable. To even hear their teachings was a luxury, yet Li Hao had provoked a saint, and an enemy at that?
Yaozu was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses. She knew Li Hao wouldn't lie about something involving a saint.
She sighed inwardly. If it were a saint, then to recruit Li Hao, even at the cost of offending a saint, was indeed not something she could decide.
She looked at the Sword Saint, who was also staring at Li Hao. He knew that if he asked Li Hao which saint it was, Li Hao would likely not answer, as it would expose himself.
To provoke a saint, there must be some deeper reason.
The situation was indeed complex, and such a person was not suitable for joining the Sword Ancestor Holy Land.
But, if they interrogated him and handed him over to his saint enemy, would that be a good thing?
His eyes flickered, and as he pondered, a voice suddenly rang out, entering the arena.
"He is a disciple of the Supreme Sage, with exceptional talent, only 28 years old, beyond what our Sword Ancestor Holy Land can contain."
With these words, a figure floated over, followed by two sword attendants wearing bronze masks.
It was the Sword Master.