Chapter 430: The Second Layer of the True Sovereign Tower
As the Tielang Jian technique merged into his attacks, the three waves of sword energy overlapped, erupting in an instant with power equal to the projection's sword light.
Just as Li Hao thought he could meet the attack head-on, the projection suddenly unleashed three waves of sword energy as well. It had also integrated the Tielang Jian technique into its strikes, causing its sword radiance to surge, illuminating the entire space.
Li Hao was stunned, his pupils contracting slightly. He quickly realized how challenging the True Sovereign Tower's trial was.
Whoosh!
He dodged hastily as the terrifying sword light pierced through his attack and relentlessly pursued him.
Using his Guixu Instant Step, Li Hao teleported away, but the projection's eyes seemed to track his movements perfectly, its sword light following his path with unerring accuracy.
Li Hao narrowly evaded the strike, his movements hurried and desperate, but the projection was relentless, chasing him with every move.
"Break!"
Li Hao abruptly turned to counterattack.
The projection reacted with astonishing speed, slashing out with its sword. Despite its rushed strike, its overwhelming strength easily shattered Li Hao's powered-up attack.
Whoosh!
The projection didn't pause. As soon as it shattered Li Hao's sword light, it pressed the attack, closing in rapidly.
At that moment, Li Hao understood why Elder Wang had said it was nearly impossible to achieve enlightenment here. The projection's attacks were ceaseless, giving no time to ponder or recover. Only by truly being on the verge of a breakthrough could someone hope to achieve enlightenment in such intense combat.
Even then, if the strength gained from the breakthrough wasn't significant enough, it would still be nearly impossible to turn the tide.
The projection's doubled strength was akin to crossing half a major cultivation realm.
Li Hao chose not to engage head-on but instead to evade and observe the projection's movements, hoping to identify its weaknesses.
"This trial isn't just a test—it's also a form of training!"
He came to a realization.
This was a rare opportunity to scrutinize his own abilities. The projection's execution of techniques was more refined than his own, but everything had flaws. If he could identify and address those flaws, it could lead to significant improvement in his own strength.
However, evading was proving to be exceedingly difficult.
"Strength, speed, movement technique—all doubled!"
"The projection even knows all the movement techniques I've mastered and executes them more fluidly due to its superior strength!"
"But…"
Dodging frantically, Li Hao continuously used Guixu Instant Step, the power of the All-Heaven Star Meridian enveloping him. While his ninth-stage movement technique had been surpassed by the projection, the nearly infinite energy provided by the All-Heaven Star Meridian allowed him to keep teleporting, creating brief moments of respite.
"The projection hasn't enhanced its ultimate power—All-Heaven Star Meridian strength is unchanged!"
Li Hao gradually observed the projection more closely. The energy of the All-Heaven Star Meridian remained untouched.
The ultimate boundary seemed to truly represent the limit.
Even this celestial artifact designed by the Immortal Emperor to select disciples couldn't project a power that surpassed the ultimate boundary.
"If I were to cultivate every path to the ultimate boundary, wouldn't the trial become a battle of equals—myself against myself without any enhancements?"
Li Hao considered the possibility.
However, such an ideal scenario was far out of reach for him. Cultivating a single path to the ultimate boundary was already an extraordinary feat, let alone mastering them all. That was something only Immortal Emperor-level figures might achieve.
For now, apart from the All-Heaven Star Meridian, the projection surpassed Li Hao in every other aspect of power.
Boom!
Suddenly, the projection's body expanded, executing the Heavenly Transformation Technique!
Behind it, a massive Heaven and Earth Manifestation appeared, encircled by phantom saintly figures that infused it with an endless stream of holy power.
Li Hao's expression shifted, and without hesitation, he unleashed the same technique.
In the expansive space, two towering figures clashed, their power shaking the heavens.
Li Hao unleashed his full strength, engaging the projection in a fierce battle.
The power of their Heaven and Earth Manifestations was nearly identical, and Li Hao felt a flicker of hope. His Heaven and Earth Manifestation seemed to have touched upon the ultimate boundary.
"The projection's swordsmanship is too strong. Even though it's still at the tenth stage, its sword intent is far superior to mine."
After a few exchanges, Li Hao was still at a disadvantage and could only resort to evasion.
Fortunately, the All-Heaven Star Meridian's infinite energy allowed him to maintain his Guixu Instant Step continuously, creating an insurmountable barrier between himself and the projection.
Though the projection's movement speed was double his, it couldn't overcome the instantaneous nature of his teleportation.
"Unfortunately, the test requires defeating the projection. If it were simply about endurance, I could pass in one attempt."
Li Hao smiled wryly.
As he dodged repeatedly, he continued to study the projection's attacks. To his dismay, the more he observed, the more flawless the projection seemed. He couldn't identify any weaknesses.
"Am I really this strong?" Li Hao thought, torn between pride and frustration.
An incense stick's worth of time passed.
Li Hao still hadn't found a flaw in the projection, nor an opportunity to counterattack. He grew increasingly vexed.
If he integrated the newly comprehended Transcendent Chess Mind into his movement technique, he might have a chance to turn the tables. But that felt like cheating.
Setting that option aside, defeating the projection through his current means seemed nearly impossible.
"If the Immortal Emperor designed this trial, there must be a way to pass it. After all, this is only the test for becoming a registered disciple. Failing at this stage would be ridiculous…"
Li Hao's eyes flickered as he suppressed the thought of using the Transcendent Chess Mind. He resolved to try again with his own abilities.
As he continued evading, Li Hao noticed the projection deploying a variety of techniques to pursue and corner him, but none succeeded.
Then, an idea struck him.
While the projection was overwhelmingly strong, it couldn't kill him because the All-Heaven Star Meridian provided him with infinite energy, allowing him to sustain his Guixu Instant Step without interruption. Anyone else would have been drained dry by now.
"To me, this projection is relentless and difficult to deal with. But from the projection's perspective, I must seem even more troublesome—a weaker opponent it can't kill…"
Li Hao's thoughts raced as he began analyzing his own strengths to exploit.
He suddenly recalled his chess matches with Elder Wang.
Elder Wang's chess skills were vastly superior, likely exceeding the tenth stage, and yet Li Hao had managed to win once. That victory had been due to Elder Wang underestimating him, assuming he couldn't perceive certain flaws.
In retrospect, Li Hao knew he had won by focusing all his efforts on a single point of attack, even at the cost of everything else.
"When weaker than the opponent, the only way to win is to concentrate all your power into one decisive strike!"
"To do that, I must abandon everything else!"
Li Hao's eyes lit up. "My advantage lies in the All-Heaven Star Meridian…"
"With infinite energy, I can…"
"Combat is like a game of chess, each sword swing akin to placing a piece…"
Li Hao's eyes flickered with understanding. Despite the chaotic and desperate nature of his constant teleportation via Guixu Instant Step, a newfound calmness settled over his mind—a state of profound clarity.
He suddenly quickened his Guixu Instant Step, flashing continuously through the void.
The projection, relentless as ever, pursued him at full strength. Its sword intent, fast and ferocious, failed to catch him, its strikes landing on empty air.
As Li Hao's movements continued, a peculiar pattern began to emerge. From a high vantage point, his teleportation path would appear not as random but as deliberate, forming a coherent shape.
It was a painting—and simultaneously, a chessboard.
Along this path, residual sword energies accumulated, marking each of Li Hao's steps. With every teleportation, these energies grew denser, until, with one final step, Li Hao stood at the center of the chessboard he had created.
He had become the central piece, constructing a fearsome sword formation from his movements.
"Explode!"
Li Hao halted his evasive maneuvers, turned to face the projection, and unleashed his full power. Divine blood surged through his veins, his heart pounding like a blazing inferno in his chest, burning with furious intensity.
As he swung his sword, thousands of sword energies coalesced from the void, merging into a singular, overwhelming strike. The entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye.
The projection, true to its nature, reacted aggressively. Li Hao recalled Elder Wang's words: the projection's attack instincts were absolute, giving challengers no respite. But that very relentlessness—its refusal to retreat—was also its weakness.
Faced with Li Hao's all-out strike, the projection chose not to evade or teleport but to counterattack with even greater ferocity, attempting to crush Li Hao's attack head-on.
This time, however, Li Hao's unleashed sword formation dwarfed the projection's sword radiance. The sheer intensity of his strike enveloped the projection in an unstoppable storm of sword energy.
Li Hao's attack had reached its peak—a culmination of precision, power, and strategy.
Boom!
In an instant, the projection's sword light shattered, and its body was consumed by the cascading sword energies. The projection disintegrated, torn apart by the overwhelming force. At the exact moment of its destruction, Li Hao's primordial soul surged forth, harnessing the lingering sword intent to annihilate the projection's soul completely.
The battlefield fell silent, the sword energies dissipating like a passing breeze.
Li Hao stood amidst the stillness, his hair swaying gently as his breath came in ragged gasps. He stared at the spot where the projection had vanished, a dazed yet exhilarated expression on his face.
He had done it.
Without relying on the Transcendent Chess Mind, he had defeated the seemingly invincible projection through sheer combat intuition and strategic insight.
"Exhilarating!"
Li Hao burst out laughing, the joy of victory coursing through him. For the first time, he found combat to be as thrilling and satisfying as a game of chess.
At the spot where the projection had dissolved, a vortex of light began to swirl in the void, forming what seemed to be a portal.
Was the challenge over? Was this the exit?
Smiling faintly, Li Hao deactivated the Heavenly Transformation Technique, allowing his body to return to its original state. His aura receded, and the extreme forces he had summoned slowly settled back within him.
A wave of mental fatigue hit him like a tide. Although the All-Heaven Star Meridian granted him inexhaustible energy, the intense battle had left his spirit drained. Thankfully, his primordial soul was extraordinarily powerful, far surpassing the Saint level. Otherwise, the mental exhaustion alone might have caused him to collapse.
After resting briefly, Li Hao stepped toward the vortex.
As he approached, it felt as though he were stepping into an abyss—his body experienced a momentary sensation of weightlessness.
Before long, light returned to his vision, and the restrictions on his senses lifted.
Li Hao blinked, expecting to see the Saints gathered outside the tower. Instead, he was momentarily stunned.
Before him stood a grand, pitch-black hall, its walls forged from what appeared to be solid iron. The light within was dim, casting long shadows across the space.
Directly in front of him stood a towering purple pillar radiating a faint glow. Strands of purple energy, resembling writhing worms, slithered across its surface, forming patterns that seemed to contain the principles of the Dao.
Li Hao glanced around and noticed faint beams of light filtering in from gaps that served as windows, though they were without panes or frames.
He rose into the air, flying toward one of the openings. Peering outside, he saw an endless plain stretching far into the distance, dominated by a colossal structure that seemed to pierce the heavens—a grand temple.
Turning his gaze, Li Hao spotted the Saints seated on their mats in the distance. Many of them were now standing, their heads craned in his direction.
Among them, Elder Wang hovered above the others, gazing silently at the tower.
When Li Hao's eyes met Elder Wang's, he noticed a flicker of surprise and astonishment in the elder's usually composed expression.
"I'm still inside the tower?"
Realizing this, Li Hao's thoughts raced. The purple pillar before him—could it be the exit?
Elder Wang hadn't mentioned the specifics of leaving the tower. Perhaps he thought it too trivial to explain?
Scanning the area and finding no other objects of interest, Li Hao quickly deduced that the pillar was indeed the key.
Approaching it, he examined the pillar closely. The traces of spatial Dao energy it emitted confirmed its purpose as a teleportation device.
Reaching out, Li Hao touched the pillar. As his hand made contact, the spatial energy responded, activating the teleportation mechanism.
Moments later, a powerful suction force enveloped him, pulling him into the pillar.
Whoosh!
When Li Hao opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the vast expanse he had just left.
However, unlike before, the towering purple pillar he had seen earlier was now floating in the air, standing imposingly above the ground.
As Li Hao stood there, stunned by the sight, the faint purple glow on the pillar began to gather rapidly. The light concentrated at a single point before slowly coalescing into a figure.
That figure was identical to Li Hao. It was yet another projection.
"…?"
Li Hao was momentarily dumbfounded. What was going on?
Did his previous challenge not count?
Before he could make sense of the situation, the projection clasped its hands together and made a gesture of invitation, as if initiating another battle. In the next instant, a terrifying aura erupted from its body.
Golden radiance flared as its silver hair danced wildly in the air. The projection's power surged higher and higher, and to Li Hao's shock, it grew even stronger and more overwhelming than before.
If the earlier projection had been twice as strong as him, this one was now at least five times stronger!
And this wasn't a simple fivefold increase—it was five times Li Hao's own peak strength, an utterly terrifying amplification.
If a True Immortal Realm ancient demon were here, this projection would obliterate it in an instant.
Even an entire horde of ancient demons would likely be wiped out effortlessly.
Li Hao gaped in disbelief. What kind of madness was this?
Before he could curse aloud, the projection lunged at him with blinding speed.
Whoosh!
Li Hao instinctively dodged, activating his Guixu Instant Step to teleport away.
But this time, the projection summoned the power of heaven and earth, abruptly severing his teleportation path. Its immense energy forcibly pulled Li Hao out of his spatial movement.
The projection immediately harnessed this overwhelming power, forming a colossal sword radiance. Before Li Hao could fully react, the sword came crashing down.
Boom!
It was no contest.
Li Hao felt his physical body shatter instantly, followed by an overwhelming wave of primordial soul energy crushing his soul in an instant.
The world went dark.
In the suffocating silence, faint streaks of light began to pierce through the darkness, gradually becoming clearer.
This light was coming from behind him. Turning around, Li Hao saw the same door he had stepped through earlier, now only a few steps away.
It was as though he had never moved from that spot, and everything that had just happened was nothing but a nightmare.
Li Hao felt a moment of disorientation as his mind raced with questions. He turned to look at the deep darkness ahead, sensing a strange, restrictive force barring his way forward. Within that darkness, faint purple light flickered, resembling the glow on the pillar he had seen earlier.
Scratching his head, Li Hao decided to step out of the door and find Elder Wang for answers. Surely the old man would have an explanation for this bizarre experience.
Outside the True Sovereign Tower, the Saints seated on the mats saw the tower doors open. Shortly after, Li Hao emerged, his expression a mixture of confusion and resignation. Seeing him shake his head as though exasperated, the crowd collectively exhaled in relief.
Some had been timing his stay inside. A full incense stick had burned completely.
To remain inside for so long on his first attempt—this nearly made them suspect that Li Hao had already passed the trial.
If not for Ming Sheng and Mu Sheng explaining that the challenge within was an immediate and continuous battle with no opportunity for delay, some might have believed Li Hao was leisurely exploring the tower.
"He's finally out. That took forever. Who's been keeping track of the time?"
"Almost two incense sticks!"
"…!"
Hearing Dong Dao announce the time, the group fell silent, stunned.
Lin Sheng's gaze fixated on the young man strolling toward them. His expression was one of profound complexity. Not long ago, he had entered the tower himself, with Li Hao casually playing chess nearby, seemingly indifferent to Lin Sheng's efforts. Lin Sheng had felt irritated, even dismissive, of Li Hao's apparent lack of interest.
But now, that indifference felt like a personal humiliation.
"Three years to pass the first test… Could he possibly conquer the True Sovereign Tower in just a few more years?"
Luo Sheng muttered, his voice filled with disbelief and a hint of helplessness.
If that were the case, what was the point of their efforts? Competing against such a monstrous talent seemed futile.
Luo Sheng's words made the other Saints wince.
Had their tens of thousands of years of painstaking cultivation been for nothing?
Competing with someone like Li Hao felt impossibly unfair.
Ming Sheng and Mu Sheng's expressions darkened, their eyes briefly flashing with anger and murderous intent as they glared at the young man. But they quickly restrained themselves.
They knew better than to act rashly under Elder Wang's watchful gaze. Any underhanded moves would undoubtedly lead to severe consequences.
Yet… were they truly willing to let the Immortal Emperor's legacy fall into someone else's hands?
As the two wrestled with their inner turmoil, Li Hao reached the meditation area. He glanced back at the tower, watching as its massive doors slowly closed behind him.
Turning to face the gathered Saints, he noticed Hua Sheng and You Sheng attempting to conceal their complex emotions as they smiled at him. Li Hao returned their smiles, recognizing their sincerity and lack of malice.
However, he had also detected faint traces of hostility and killing intent from others. Though those feelings had quickly dissipated, Li Hao understood that his growing prominence was making him a target.
Excessive brilliance inevitably drew attention—both good and bad. It was a fundamental truth of the world, and no one could escape it.
Still, with Elder Wang's presence and his own considerable strength, Li Hao wasn't overly concerned.
After all, thoughts were harmless as long as they remained thoughts. But if anyone dared to act on them, he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate.
"You brat…"
Elder Wang's voice broke through Li Hao's thoughts. The elder approached, his eyes flickering with a mix of emotions. He sighed lightly, seemingly at a loss for words.