Chapter 566: The Interception
Di Linchen had never seen Li Hao as a rival. He thought only the Supreme's two disciples, and maybe other geniuses like Gui Lingyue or Shen Wuji, could challenge him—the gap seemed too wide. But now, after seeing Li Hao's power, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. He'd been wrong.
Li Hao stared at the space frozen by that force and looked upward at the sealed barrier above the imperial platform. The commander of the Immortal Guards hovered there, eyes serious and shocked. Clearly, saving Jianxin's life wasn't the youth's own doing. That interference meant Jianxin had lost. But he hadn't been sent to reincarnation… Li Hao felt regret. Jianxin had intended to kill him within three moves, but Li Hao had merely used his method against him.
Space loosened and shrank back, reversing. Jianxin's soul fractures healed instantly, erasing the sword intent of the Five Destruction Imperial Sword. His body reformed from the blood mist, looking untouched.
Yet he gazed at Li Hao, stunned, mind buzzing: I lost? I actually lost?!
Jianxin, whose sixth-level sword Dao was unmatched in the True Immortal realm and even miraculous, had been instructed by his master to conserve power to avoid harming others—especially since the South Domain needed its geniuses. Yet he lost.
In just three moves, he'd lost two and nearly died once. The test meant to end him within three moves had instead consumed him.
"You… what sword is that?!" Jianxin's soul, not even returned to his body, shook with rage and disbelief.
"Imperial Sword," Li Hao replied coldly, looking at him, withdrawing his power as the sword Gongming faded and his Law Manifestation vanished. The battle was decided, and Li Hao began to walk away—unless the Supreme reneged, but before so many in the South Domain, he doubted that.
"Imperial Sword?" Jianxin's mind thundered. That strike was horrifying—though the technique was rougher than his, it carried terrifying imperial power. It merged five-origin essence into a unique core force. It had overwhelmed his Ninth Origin, even though both of them had reached fourth-tier origin comprehension. Why could Li Hao wield it and Jianxin could not?
He shook with disbelief and anger. "That sword uses five-origin essence evolution. Who taught you—your master?"
He snarled, bitterness in his eyes. He had always understood sword Dao effortlessly—top techniques others took years to learn he grasped in a day. He never met resistance… until now.
Li Hao stopped and turned slightly, his gaze emotionless. He knew he couldn't kill Jianxin here, especially on the Supreme's domain—the Immortal Guards would stop him. He accepted the unfairness—they were on others' turf.
"If your master is that Tianyang Emperor, you're mistaken," Li Hao said, then turned and walked off.
"What?" Jianxin froze. Li Hao's words felt like understanding something—but then confused him again. He flickered forward with sword-light speed to block Li Hao's path, brow fierce and persistent: "I lost, but I want to know—where did you comprehend that sword technique? From the world itself?"
"You have no right to demand the answer," Li Hao said coldly.
Jianxin scowled. "Is it from the world's essence? From the five-origin essence?" He shook his head. "I understand the five-origin essence to fourth-tier—I should grasp your technique too."
Li Hao mocked inwardly. "You and I both comprehend the Ninth Origin, both are at fourth-tier origin—but that's like two people on the same balcony, seeing the same view, but inside, your scenery and mine are worlds apart. You're called Jianxin; I'm Hao Tian. The view is the same, but the heart is sky and earth apart."
Jianxin was stunned, Li Hao's words cutting through the chaos in his mind. Same view... but different inside—sky and earth?
Li Hao didn't wait for his reaction and walked past him toward the platform's edge. But he saw the sealed barrier still in place. He frowned and looked up at the Immortal Guard commander, voice low:
"So what, are you going back on your word? You interfered in the battle and saved his life. He's alive now—so that counts as my win, right? Or are you planning to start another round?"
Li Hao stood his ground. His voice wasn't loud, but it boomed across the mountaintop and echoed throughout the entire South Domain.
His words shook everyone out of their stunned silence.
All at once, an uproar swept through the South Domain. Across the immortal courts and cities, shock and disbelief boiled over into excitement and celebration.
This battle… had actually ended in Li Hao's victory! Three moves. On the third, he nearly killed Jianxin.
The Supreme had declared this a test of three strikes. No doubt, Li Hao had not only passed, but done so with room to spare.
Even Jianxin, a direct disciple of the Supreme, had been defeated by Li Hao. Based on cultivation age, Li Hao was clearly the more deserving of the title.
And yet… that young man had rejected it. He only asked to leave in peace.
The discussions grew louder and wilder. Countless cheers erupted.
Although Li Hao was the disciple of a condemned immortal, his talent couldn't be denied. People across the South Domain were struck with a strong sense of pity and admiration.
So what if he was a disciple of a "sin-immortal"? He still had time to be guided, time to be taught. With this kind of potential, he was exactly the kind of person the South Domain needed in the fight against the ancient demons.
"Horrifying. He's too terrifying."
"We haven't seen a monster like this in how many years? Even the old emperors who forged legends weren't this outrageous at the True Immortal stage."
"That's imperial potential. A future emperor. With the right training, our South Domain could see another Immortal Emperor rise!"
"Who would've thought—even after that sin-immortal died, he still left behind such a disciple. It might just be a blessing in disguise for us!"
In many hidden sanctuaries and ancient secret realms, elderly figures stared at the scene, eyes full of awe and emotion.
They had lived through the ancient demon war, when the South Domain had nearly been wiped out. Rivers of blood had run everywhere, cries of despair echoing across the land, entire cities burned to ashes. It had been hell, ten times worse than hell.
They had longed for power. They had hidden and cultivated in silence for years, preparing for the next calamity.
And now, seeing such a monster rise? How could they not rejoice?
"Senior brother… actually lost…"
Mingyue stood frozen, completely stunned. She could never have imagined this—not even in a dream.
Jianxin had entered the sect before her, and had always been a little stronger. In her mind, the only real threat was the boy from the imperial clan, whose cards were still unknown. She had never once thought Jianxin could lose.
"He won…"
On the mountaintop, Da Mengzhu and Li Tiemu were just as dumbfounded—but after the shock came joy.
And now that Li Hao's voice had stirred them, they remembered—yes, time had been stopped during Jianxin's death, clearly due to outside interference. Any immortal of the Immortal King stage could see that. There was no faking it.
"Don't be hasty."
The Immortal Guard commander looked down at Li Hao. His eyes were deeply shaken, but his position required him to understand the Supreme's will.
"You meet the requirements to become a direct disciple of the Supreme. Are you sure you won't reconsider?"
Li Hao's face darkened. The question sounded like a suggestion, but to his ears, it felt like a threat.
He hadn't expected it—the Supreme really was going to go back on his word?
How could someone at the pinnacle of the True Realm behave like this?
Suppressing his anger, Li Hao said solemnly, "I'm honored by the Supreme's offer, but I'm used to walking a free path. I dislike being bound. If the ancient demons invade in force someday, as long as I still breathe, I'll do everything I can to fight for this world."
The commander muttered, What a cunning kid. That was a perfect answer. But he knew that if they let Li Hao go now, he would become a future threat.
"Don't destroy your future. With your talent, the Supreme's guidance could lead you to the imperial throne."
The commander's voice dropped. "Don't think that just because you're gifted, you can ignore everything. You are the sin-immortal's disciple. The Supreme chose to overlook that—it's mercy. But if you continue to defy him, waste your potential, and face the ancient demons someday as nothing more than a True Immortal or a weak Immortal King… then even if you die in battle, it'll just be a tragedy."
As the barrier sealing the platform vanished, Li Hao finally relaxed slightly.
At least on the surface, they hadn't torn things apart completely.
But inwardly, he only sneered. If he really stayed behind, he'd be doomed. He didn't believe for a second that the Supreme would truly train him. He'd already seen too much—he was just a pawn in an imperial chessboard.
Meanwhile, throughout the South Domain, countless people wore complex expressions.
A boy had refused the title of direct disciple from a Supreme. That was rare enough to be legendary. But the commander wasn't wrong—if Li Hao wasn't guided properly, he might go astray.
After all, the True Immortal stage was still too immature. Li Hao might be peerless now, but he was just a seedling—still in need of cultivation and care.
From Immortal Lord to Immortal King, and especially from Immortal King onward, each step could take thousands of years. Anything could happen.
Being trained by the Supreme would've been the safest path.
"You're not leaving!"
Just as Li Hao stepped off the platform, a figure flashed before him—Mingyue.
The calm, cold, fairy-like expression she usually wore was gone. She looked furious—like an ordinary woman filled with rage.
"The South Domain trial isn't over yet! Why are you in such a hurry to run? Did your identity get exposed and now you're trying to escape?!"
She gritted her teeth, glaring at Li Hao.
She had heard all the stories about the sin-immortal. She now saw Li Hao as the same kind of criminal.