Chapter 591: Sixfold Form Dao, Realm and Domain!
Li Hao's thoughts surged as his primordial spirit's power fused with the flesh Dao laws swirling around his body. In an instant, those laws awakened like a slumbering dragon-serpent, radiating a thick, terrifying power.
Li Hao felt that with a casual flick of this law-whip, he could shatter the heavens and earth, far surpassing the full-force sword strikes he could unleash back during his Nine Bloom Immortal Seal days.
'If I had embedded the Painting Dao's true essence into my Sword Dao instead, pushing it to twelve segments, what level would my swordsmanship have reached?' Li Hao wondered silently.
Yet from the start of his cultivation journey, he had always prioritized improving his realms first, ensuring maximum combat power—undeniably the most cost-effective approach. For example, even someone like Jianxin, who had Sword Dao origin at the sixth layer in the True Immortal Realm, would still lose when facing geniuses of the Immortal Lord Realm.
Li Hao closed his eyes, releasing the flood of insights that had poured into his mind when he advanced his realm earlier.
In an instant, countless comprehensions about the flesh Dao flooded into his mind. Li Hao felt his body dissolving, melting into heaven and earth like an immortal transcending, yet unlike true ascension, each droplet of his blood carried terrifying might, wrapped in the aura of Dao origin, like golden stars bursting with divine radiance.
Meanwhile, his consciousness hovered above these "stars," overlooking them like a sovereign gazing down upon the starry sky.
The sensation made Li Hao deeply intoxicated, giving him a profound awareness of the boundless potential within his flesh.
His flesh-origin realm also skyrocketed, climbing from the previous origin layer four, breaking its bottleneck, reaching the fifth layer, then the peak of the fifth layer.
But it didn't stop there. As he continued absorbing the influx of flesh Dao insights, he soon shattered the peak of the fifth layer and stepped into the sixth layer of flesh-origin comprehension.
In the nine-tiered sequence, this was the sixth layer of the Form Dao origin!
Li Hao realized with sudden clarity that reaching twelve segments in the flesh Dao had directly propelled him to the sixth layer of the Form Dao origin. Back when he had eleven segments, it had vaulted him straight to the peak of the third layer!
'So it's exactly as I suspected—every advancement of one segment on the Dao panel raises the Dao origin comprehension by three layers!' he thought. 'Which means if I can reach thirteen segments in the flesh Dao, my Form Dao origin comprehension would hit the ninth layer…'
'And that corresponds to the Immortal King Realm…'
Li Hao's eyes glimmered with urgency. If he could raise his Painting Dao to thirteen segments, he would soon break into the Immortal King Realm—an existence recognized as royalty throughout the True Realm, a ruler over their own domain.
But he had just stepped into twelve segments of the Painting Dao, barely comprehending the true essence of painting. Just gaining enough experience to fill twelve segments would already take a long time, let alone immediately comprehending the thirteenth segment.
'The Painting Dao's true essence opened a crack for me. The bottleneck between eleven and twelve segments wasn't about external technique or perfecting form, but about true essence, the source of the soul itself,' Li Hao mused, his thoughts drifting back to the Southern Region—back to the moment he poured himself into painting Ying Xiaoxiao.
At that time, he had only wanted to use his brush to preserve her forever in this world.
Remembering the gentle yet sorrowful look in her eyes, Li Hao's heart sank again. It took him a long time to collect himself. Breaking through the painting realm had been thanks to her, letting him glimpse the essence of the soul through overwhelming grief.
'So the same should apply to the Carving Dao, the Fishing Dao…'
Those who became the personal disciples of Immortal Emperors must have received this kind of direct guidance even in the True Immortal Realm.
The benefit of a famous teacher was having someone to point out the bright path ahead—then one merely had to stumble toward it. But others had to find the path themselves, never sure whether the road they took was right or wrong, and paying a huge price for mistakes. That was why, over endless ages, great clans always stood tall while lone cultivators fell time and again.
The strong grow stronger; the weak perish.
'That Jianxin reaching the sixth layer of Sword Dao origin in the True Immortal Realm was indeed a rare sword genius,' Li Hao reflected, recalling his defeated opponent. Even reaching the fourth layer of Dao origin in the True Immortal Realm was already monstrous; the fifth layer was a once-in-ten-thousand-years talent; and Jianxin at the sixth was a once-in-a-hundred-thousand-years prodigy, creating a legend—yet Li Hao had shattered his sword Dao with the power of an Emperor's sword.
Now, having reached the sixth layer of Form Dao origin himself, his comprehension rivaled a sixth-layer Sword Dao master. But unlike the same comprehension level in the True Immortal Realm, an Immortal Lord wielding it would release ten times the power.
As the law's power flowed around him, Li Hao felt his body—though only first level Immortal Lord—was already strong enough to withstand attacks from even fourth or fifth level Immortal Lords.
Crossing realms within the Immortal Lord stage was extremely difficult, but achieving sixth-layer Form Dao origin comprehension was something many peak Immortal Lords could not attain, requiring extraordinary talent.
'The old man spoke of fishing grounds for the Fishing Dao, just as the Painting Dao has the painting realm… Grand Dream Master's Langya Painting Realm was like that,' Li Hao recalled, eyes brightening. This was different from the Immortal King's domain; it was a pseudo-domain called a "realm."
The words "realm" and "domain" denoted levels—realm came before domain.
At this moment, memories of the Sky Calamity Immortal Emperor's teachings resurfaced: the Shuntian Ancestral Scripture passed down by Elder Wang. Back in the True Immortal Realm, Li Hao had condensed the Ancestral Immortal Body from the Battle Heaven Scripture.
That was one of the ten supreme immortal bodies of the True Immortal Realm.
Similarly, the Shuntian Ancestral Scripture's chapter for the Immortal Lord Realm described condensing another immortal body—one of the very top immortal bodies for Immortal Lords: the Heavenly Immortal Body.
Condensing an immortal body was an arduous process demanding exceptional insight, but it corresponded precisely with one's Form Dao origin.
As the cultivation method for the Heavenly Immortal Body appeared in his mind, Li Hao's consciousness instinctively guided his body and immortal Power into transformation. His primordial spirit felt like a chaotic heavenly Dao overlooking the starry sky, sensing countless blood and flesh particles glowing with scorching divine light, converging, assembling, condensing into strands. These strands formed ancient, mysterious patterns.
These patterns were the sturdiest structures in heaven and earth, hexagonal, flawless, without weaknesses—what one glimpsed only at the sixth layer of Form Dao origin: "perfection."
As these patterns took shape, streams of immortal Power poured in, acting as the "adhesive" between pieces of flesh, continually constructing the immortal body.
From the outside, immortal Power surged and flowed across Li Hao's body, appearing and vanishing in waves. Around him, a natural domain formed, isolating his aura. Unless someone forcibly broke through his domain, they could only sense occasional surges of immortal Power—something easily mistaken for normal cultivation.
Far away, Wu Ma noticed this spectacle but did not dare probe with spiritual sense.
For these scion-level geniuses of great clans, cultivation was routine, often involving closed-door meditation.
After all, aside from their talent, such prodigies put in unimaginable effort.
Li Hao opened his eyes but did not let himself sink fully into cultivation—he was here to accompany someone, after all.
While carefully gathering immortal Power to condense his immortal body, he glanced at the tightly shut main hall doors, then placed a stone on the chessboard in front of him.
Lacking an opponent, he played against the heavens themselves.
Time flowed on. The moon rose and fell, stars spun overhead. Though daylight lasted long on Gusu Emperor Star, after stars and moons cycled in turns, a week quickly passed.
The main hall doors remained firmly closed without the slightest sign of opening. Li Hao felt a tinge of disappointment but stayed true to his word, keeping to the outer courtyard.
During this time, Wu Ma came to deliver meals. Though an Immortal Lord could go millennia without eating, living on immortal mist alone, great clans still maintained dining traditions, albeit infrequent—once every week.
The food was not ordinary; rare treasures were mixed into the dishes, benefiting cultivation.
Li Hao accepted the delicate plates without fuss, but as soon as he tasted them, he frowned—the flavor was simply indescribable. It was like a thick, clumsy dough with barely a sesame-sized bit of filling, a bland paste of crushed spiritual herbs shaped to resemble food, hardly edible.
After a couple of bites, he set it aside, pushing the plate beyond his domain. He then remembered the ancient demon corpses stored in his spatial pocket, collected during the Southern Region's trials.
Among them were the remains hunted by Di Linchen—more than enough for many meals.
Thinking of those corpses made his stomach grumble. Making sure Wu Ma and the maids were nowhere nearby, he retrieved half a corpse, quickly sliced it open, and roasted it over chaotic divine fire.
As rich, mouthwatering aromas drifted up, Li Hao felt his spirits lift for the first time in a while—only good food could soothe his mind.
He poured himself a cup of wine he had gotten from Old Li, pairing meat and drink leisurely.
After finishing the half-corpse, a pleasant fullness settled in his belly. Stretching languidly, he returned to his game, contemplating chess Dao.
Though his chess Dao experience bar was full, he still lacked the insight needed for a breakthrough.
But having recently broken through to the twelfth segment of painting Dao, he glimpsed the path beyond: all methods under heaven converge; myriad Daos return to one. All great Daos are the same at their root.
Yet what was the true essence of chess Dao?
Was it the placement of stones? The overarching layout? The calculations and predictions?
Li Hao twirled a stone between his fingers, frowning slightly as he pondered with each move.
Time slipped by. Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
As stars rose and fell, a graceful figure flew into Zhexian Courtyard, descending lightly.
Wu Ma sensed the arrival immediately, teleporting to greet the newcomer with a bowed, smiling greeting: "This old servant pays respects to Miss Wanqing."
"Please, Wu Ma, you're too polite," replied Su Wanqing. She carried herself with the elegance of a noble lady, then raised her eyes and caught sight of the youth seated calmly in the courtyard—and froze.
"Why is he here?" she blurted.
After three months apart, the youth seemed subtly changed. His posture looked even straighter, his features more refined, his eyes like mirrored stars capable of drawing one in.
Wu Ma noticed Su Wanqing recognized Li Hao and was surprised. She hurriedly explained, "Miss Yaoyin said Young Master Haotian has the same standing as Miss Muqing. He insisted on staying here, and none of us could stop him..."
Su Wanqing wasn't blaming Wu Ma—she was simply astonished. Had her elder sister already warmed to him in these three months? But seeing the young man's solitary leisure, she guessed otherwise.
She descended into the courtyard, seeing the youth in simple clothes, seated at the pond's edge in a rocking chair, playing chess alone with the empty air.
She found herself puzzled. Her father had called him a once-in-an-era genius, his soul longevity under a hundred years yet already Immortal Lord first level—an achievement that required incredible diligence. Yet now he looked so relaxed?
Did he truly think he could take the Su Family for granted?
Her eyes flickered, and she glanced toward the main hall, asking Wu Ma softly, "Is Sister Muqing inside? I came to see her."
Wu Ma nodded. "Since Miss returned three months ago, she hasn't stepped out of the hall."
"Oh?" Su Wanqing's eyes widened slightly, realization dawning. It wasn't what she feared—her sister must hate him enough to shut herself away for three whole months.
She eyed the youth, shaking her head faintly. Such talent, wasted in complacency—what a pity.
Wu Ma then slipped into the hall. A short while later, she reemerged alone, coming to Su Wanqing's side and whispering, "Miss Wanqing, Miss Muqing says you may enter. She doesn't wish to see that person outside."
Su Wanqing stifled a laugh at the blunt message but also sympathized. She followed Wu Ma into the main hall.
Inside the hall, Su Muqing sat cross-legged atop a piece of chaotic immortal stone, cultivating in her moon-blue immortal dress. As she sensed Su Wanqing arrive, she immediately opened her eyes and said, "How do you have time to come by?"
"Lanqin-jie is holding an art exhibition and invited us. She said the Longyun Painting Immortal will be there. It's a rare chance," Su Wanqing said with a soft smile.
Su Muqing's eyes lit up, halting her cultivation. "The Longyun Painting Immortal will be there?"
"Mhm, we can even seek his guidance," Su Wanqing replied, smiling.
Among the Four Little Phoenixes, she and Su Muqing were closest—Su Wanqing was the fourth sister, Su Muqing the third. Not only were they close in age, but they also shared some hobbies, like painting.
Of course, they didn't paint just for leisure; they often gained flashes of insight for their cultivation through their art, so it couldn't be called a waste of time.
"When do we leave?" Su Muqing asked immediately, already eager to set out.
Seeing her sister's anxious look, Su Wanqing couldn't help but laugh lightly. "Tomorrow. But sister, these three months… have you really not stepped outside? Not even to stroll the garden?"
Su Muqing's face darkened at once. "You saw that man outside when you arrived, didn't you?"
"I did."
"Heh," Su Muqing sneered coldly. "According to Wu Ma, he hasn't cultivated once in these three months. Father said he was a peerless genius with less than a hundred years of soul longevity. But someone with such talent who wastes it like this, idling away every day—he actually thinks he can change my mind?"
She couldn't help but laugh coldly, her eyes full of disdain.
Over these three months, she'd secretly spied on the youth three times. Each time, he was either playing chess or carving pieces of wood—never once practicing.
Su Wanqing recalled the scene she'd just witnessed, her brow furrowing slightly as a hint of regret flickered in her eyes. "It really is a pity."
"Hmph, enough about him. He's spoiling the mood," Su Muqing snapped, changing the subject. "Stay here tonight. We'll go together in the morning. I'll have Wu Ma prepare a guest room for you."
"Alright," Su Wanqing agreed, though she'd initially planned to leave, she changed her mind and accepted.
When she emerged from the main hall, she saw the youth still playing chess alone outside. Curiosity gleamed in her eyes as she slowly walked over.
"Hm?"
Sensing someone approaching, Li Hao looked up and saw Su Wanqing, Su Muqing's younger sister.
"No opponent? Isn't playing alone boring?" Su Wanqing glanced at the chessboard with curiosity. "With all this time, wouldn't it be better spent cultivating? Don't you feel it's a waste?"
Li Hao didn't mind her presence. Smiling faintly, he replied, "There are few who can match me at chess. Playing against myself, thinking both sides, is endlessly fun. How could I get bored?"
"As for wasting time—if I'm enjoying myself and gaining something from it, isn't that enough? We cultivate to live longer, but isn't it so we can be happy every day?"
Su Wanqing was stunned, her mouth slightly open. She wanted to argue, but found herself at a loss—he actually made sense.
"But… isn't that indulgence? Won't it squander your cultivation and talent?" she finally asked softly.
Li Hao shook his head. "Whether mortal or immortal, what do they seek if not happiness? Have you ever heard of anyone pursuing suffering or sadness? Why call joy indulgence—if not joy, should we seek grief?"
Su Wanqing fell silent, unable to refute him. But years of teachings left her unable to fully agree either.
After a while, she changed the topic. "Do you really like my sister? Or do you just want her bloodline to breed stronger offspring?"
The question caught Li Hao off guard. Did he truly like her? Or was it guilt, a desire to make amends?
He saw once more that shattered figure and sorrowful gaze in his mind, and a dull ache spread in his chest.
Did he like her, or just feel guilty? He realized he couldn't tell.
Seeing his silence, Su Wanqing felt she'd touched a nerve. His reaction confirmed her suspicions.
She sighed softly. So that's it—impure motives, wasting such incredible talent.
"If what Father said is true, with your potential, you could become a peerless genius on your own. Why seek to use someone else?" she said quietly, turning to leave.
Li Hao seemed not to hear, his gaze lost as he asked himself the same question over and over inside.
Finally, he shook his head. If he couldn't find the answer, he wouldn't force it—he would let time reveal it.
The next day.
Su Muqing stepped out of the main hall, immediately spotting the youth sitting outside the doors. Her eyes turned icy.
Li Hao looked up as she finally emerged, halting his chess game to watch her quietly.
Soon Su Wanqing arrived, bringing a light, fresh fragrance with her. "Sister, let's go," she said softly.
"Mhm," Su Muqing replied.
As the sisters set out, Li Hao rose to follow.
"I'm going to an art exhibition. You plan to come too?" Su Muqing's face hardened with anger.
Li Hao nodded. "I told you: wherever you are, I'll be there."
"You…!" Su Muqing seethed.
Su Wanqing tried to reason. "Where we're going is mostly for women. Are you sure you want to come?"
"Yes," Li Hao said firmly, without hesitation.
Su Wanqing was momentarily speechless, realizing that for most men, her warning might only make it more enticing. She pressed her palm to her forehead.
"Heh. Fine, come if you want," Su Muqing said coldly. "But remember, Father only gave you rights within the Su Estate. Outside, you're nothing. If someone stops you, don't expect the Su Family to protect you."
Su Wanqing caught the meaning behind her sister's words and nodded subtly.
Without saying more, the two sisters took off, flying swiftly—clearly hoping their speed would shake off their unwanted follower.
Li Hao's figure flickered as immortal Power surged. With his sixfold Form Dao origin realm, his body became incredibly resilient, and he pushed his movement technique to the limit, barely keeping pace.
He had to admit, these two girls were true prodigies, already at the fifth and sixth layers of the immortal Lord realm, respectively, which was four or five layers above him. They cultivated the Su Family's top-tier movement techniques, passed down from an immortal Emperor, capable of crossing realms to slay enemies. Shaking off peers of their level would normally be effortless.
Yet as they left the Su residence, the two girls realized they still hadn't lost Li Hao, and both were shocked.
"So fast. His foundation is so solid!" Su Wanqing's pupils contracted, her heart shaken, and her view of Li Hao changed again.
If he had simply relied on rare elixirs to break through, he could never display such strength. This youth was anything but simple!
Su Muqing realized this as well, but her expression darkened at Su Wanqing's words. The surprise in her eyes turned cold.
"Hmph, a solid foundation, but a weak Dao heart. I bet he hasn't even achieved the Chaos Dao Heart!" Su Muqing sneered. Such talent, yet trying to cling to her and gain her family's power—she could only see it as proof of a shallow heart, making her despise him even more, like a hypocrite in gentleman's clothing.
As the two girls accelerated, Li Hao had to show more and more of his power. The power of the Dao Origin immortal Mark flowed through him, but he kept its fluctuations hidden by channeling it into his sixfold Form Dao origin body.
They sped up even more upon leaving the Su residence, reaching a lakeside pavilion complex in northern Gusu City.
The environment here was tranquil, the lakeside scenery beautiful, with sprawling pavilions over the water as picturesque as a painting.
A barrier array covered the lakeside, an immortal King's work that defined the area as a private domain. Without permission, entry was impossible.
Su Muqing and Su Wanqing arrived first. Seeing Li Hao still close behind, Su Muqing's cold sneer deepened as she led Su Wanqing quickly inside.
The guards at the entrance recognized the two immediately—or rather, in all of Gusu Emperor Star, few wouldn't know them unless they were outsiders.
Moments later, Li Hao's figure pierced the sky like a sword, descending at high speed. Though he suppressed his aura, the rush of power he used to keep up had let a trace slip.
The attendant at the gate felt this pressure but forced a polite smile. "Young master, please show your Dragon Invitation."
"Invitation?" Li Hao looked toward the lake but could no longer see the girls; their auras were cut off by the barrier. His gaze shifted slightly. "I don't have one."
The attendant's smile stiffened, and he bowed slightly. "Then I must apologize, young master. Without an invitation, entry is not allowed."
Li Hao frowned, recalling Su Muqing's words about the art gathering.
His gaze swept across the lake. Though he could only glimpse the pavilions, he saw countless floating scrolls beyond, each painting lifelike creatures dancing in the air, exuding fierce auras as if alive.
She liked painting? Li Hao's eyes went distant, recalling that girl's final request—to paint her before her death.
Fate's currents and time's twists seemed still tangled together.
"Young master…" the attendant prompted softly, pulling Li Hao from his thoughts. He said quickly, "I can paint better than most of these lake displays. Could you let me in?"
The attendant froze, his expression tightening. The works on the lake were far from ordinary—even if not the highlight of the exhibition, they were worthy of being shown here.
"This… I cannot decide. I only know that without an invitation, entry is forbidden," the attendant said awkwardly.
Before Li Hao could respond, a soft, slightly chilly voice came from behind.
"You said the lake's paintings were ordinary?"
Li Hao turned and saw a woman with snow-white hair wearing an exquisite gauze dress adorned with immortal crystal beads. Numerous immortal treasure hairpins decorated her head, radiating Dao fluctuations.
"You are…?" Li Hao asked curiously.
By her sides stood two beautiful maids glaring at him with angry eyes, barely restraining themselves.
But the woman's gaze remained calm as she said, "You claim your art surpasses the lake's? Then come prove it. How about a match?"
A painting contest? Li Hao was surprised but unafraid. "Do you have a spare invitation?"
The woman didn't answer. She stepped past Li Hao gracefully, flicking her sleeve to show a golden token engraved with a coiling dragon to the attendant.
The attendant nearly lost his composure and hurriedly stepped aside.
She looked back at Li Hao. "Come."
The two maids shot him murderous glares, but their delicate faces gave them an oddly cute fierceness.
Li Hao exhaled in relief and followed her inside.
"What is your name, young master? Are you a painter?" she asked coolly as she walked ahead.
Li Hao ignored her tone, replying, "I am Haotian. Thank you for your help."
"The main lakeside gallery is ahead, Haotian-gongzi. Wait for me there, and soon I shall see whether your art lives up to your words," she said, stopping and pointing to the grandest pavilion in the center of the lake.
Li Hao looked where she indicated, seeing a path of floating paintings leading to the pavilion like an exhibition. Su Muqing was surely inside.
"Very well."
He agreed readily. "And may I know your name?"
She didn't reply. Instead, her voice grew colder. "If your art doesn't surpass these paintings, you will learn my name then—and do not expect any mercy."
Li Hao blinked at the icy threat, his expression turning serious.
They exchanged no further words. She left with her maids for another pavilion, while Li Hao, waiting until they were gone, headed for the central lakeside hall.