Chapter 481: The Three-Year Deadline is Up
Inside the war camp of Da Meng Jiu Yuan, within the halls where the Jian Yuan lineage resided, Ji Qingxuan, Wei Hongye, and the others stared in shock at the three junior disciples who had just reported in.
"You're saying Haotian arrived here long ago? We never ran into him."
Wei Hongye couldn't help but ask.
Seeing the three of them appear here had already been surprising—they hadn't expected them to come to such a dangerous battlefield.
But what was even more shocking was their cultivation progress.
The one with the lowest realm, Yuexi, had advanced from True Immortal Realm Third Stage to True Immortal Realm Sixth Stage within a year.
Meanwhile, Murong Qingwu, the strongest of them, had reached True Immortal Realm Tenth Stage Perfection, now equal in cultivation to Wei Hongye and Lu Wuchen.
As for the youngest disciple, Gu Yan, despite being the most recent to enter the sect, his progress had been the most astonishing—now at True Immortal Realm Seventh Stage, surpassing Yuexi in cultivation.
Perhaps due to his Innate Sword Immortal Physique from the Gu Xian lineage, his rapid advancement had brought about significant changes. Previously, he had been like a sword hidden in its sheath, his edge unseen. But now, his sharpness was beginning to reveal itself. Even though he remained reserved, an intense sword aura radiated from him, difficult to suppress.
"We haven't seen him? How is that possible? Did he take a wrong turn, or…"
Murong Qingwu was puzzled. She had been looking forward to meeting Haotian to see how much this most mysterious junior brother had changed over the past year.
"Master already asked Dream Master, and he confirmed that Haotian came here. Unless he was lying," Yuexi said, her brows furrowed, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
The thing she had looked forward to the most in coming here was seeing Li Hao, to determine whether the gap between them had narrowed over the past year.
After her humiliating defeat in the Gu Xian Realm's Immortal Tablet Rankings, she had devoted herself to relentless training, pushing her cultivation to new heights.
"You're saying he arrived a year ago?"
Ji Qingxuan's expression grew serious. He exchanged a glance with the silent Lu Wuchen, who also showed a subtle shift in expression before speaking in a low tone:
"A year ago, when the ancient demons attacked, it seemed like just another incursion, but in truth, it concealed a deadly scheme—it nearly escalated to a Heaven-Level Catastrophe!"
Ji Qingxuan's voice turned grave. "If he happened to arrive just as the battle began, he might have gone directly to the battlefield without even making it to the sect. And now…"
Now that the war had ended, and yet he still hadn't returned to the sect, there was only one possibility—he had perished in battle.
Hearing these words, Wei Hongye's face also changed. A mix of shock and sorrow filled her heart.
Although she hadn't known the young man for long, nor had they formed a deep bond, the thought that such a supremely talented individual had fallen silently on the battlefield filled her with regret.
"Battle? Dead?"
The usually silent Gu Yan abruptly raised his head, his gaze sharp and piercing. An invisible sword intent flickered in his eyes as he demanded, "What battle are you talking about?"
Lu Wuchen looked at him, sensing the same silent yet intense nature they shared. Understanding his feelings, he patiently explained:
"Here in the borderlands, whenever ancient demons invade, the Immortal War Signal is activated. There are four levels: Evil-Level, Calamity-Level, Heaven-Level, and the highest—Destruction-Level!"
"Evil-Level incursions happen often, every century or so. Heaven-Level catastrophes, however, occur only once in a thousand years. As for Destruction-Level Disasters, they cause entire Immortal Dynasties to go on full alert, with neighboring Immortal Empires sending reinforcements—even Celestial Palace experts would intervene."
The three newcomers were stunned, their faces darkening.
A Heaven-Level Disaster, nearly impossible to encounter in a thousand years, had happened—and Li Hao had been caught in it?
"If he hadn't joined the sect officially and was alone on the battlefield, with only the soldiers he had just met… then he would have had no support," Ji Qingxuan said, shaking his head slightly, a trace of regret in his eyes.
Then, as if something occurred to him, he turned to the three newcomers and asked,
"When you went to Yan Chu Immortal Capital to take the examination, how did you all perform? Did you pass?"
Yuexi and Gu Yan were still dazed, struggling to process the thought that Li Hao might already be dead.
Murong Qingwu, having been in the sect longer and always admiring her senior brother, snapped back to attention when he addressed her. She immediately replied:
"The trial was in the Gu Xian Realm. We all fell short. Master said… only Haotian passed."
"The Gu Xian Realm?"
Ji Qingxuan's expression shifted. Clearly, he had heard of the legendary difficulty of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty's Gu Xian Realm.
Murong Qingwu's words left him momentarily stunned.
"Only he passed?"
Wei Hongye was also taken aback. The image of that young man flashed through her mind.
Among the four juniors, the one with the most outstanding talent should have been Gu Yan. His performance at Di Jian Mountain had been impressive, but even he had failed.
She had always found Li Hao mysterious—Gu Yan, at least, she could somewhat understand. But Li Hao? She couldn't see through him at all.
Now, it turned out he had passed a trial that none of the others had?
"If he passed the trial, why would Master let him come here? And without any escort?"
Ji Qingxuan frowned, unable to comprehend it.
Murong Qingwu let out a bitter laugh, unsure of how to respond.
"Let's not assume the worst. Maybe he changed his mind and went somewhere else. We'll send people to search the city. While you train here, we'll arrange for senior warriors to spar with you day and night—prepare yourselves."
Lu Wuchen addressed the three of them.
They nodded in acknowledgment.
Yuexi, biting her lip, asked, "Senior Brother, is there any way to confirm whether he's alive? Should we ask Dream Master?"
"Alright, I'll send word to Master, asking him to consult Dream Master." Lu Wuchen replied.
Hearing this, Murong Qingwu finally exhaled in relief. "Since he passed the trial, it concerns the honor of our sect. Dream Master will definitely not hesitate to act."
The others nodded in agreement, fully aware of how much the sect valued the Southern Domain Battle this time.
Ji Qingxuan said, "Stop overthinking. Focus on your cultivation. Coming to the borderlands to train is a good thing. Life-and-death combat will push you beyond your limits. Cultivation is important, but actual battle experience matters even more. I know some elite warriors in the army. I'll arrange for you to spar with them so you can experience real battlefield combat."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
The three of them expressed their gratitude in unison. However, aside from Murong Qingwu, both Yuexi and Gu Yan looked less enthusiastic.
Until Li Hao's fate was confirmed, they couldn't shake the empty feeling in their hearts.
"Come on, let's familiarize you with the surroundings first."
Catching Ji Qingxuan's meaningful glance, Wei Hongye understood his intention and led the three of them away.
"Heaven envies geniuses. Let's hope that junior brother is safe."
Watching them leave, Lu Wuchen sighed.
Ji Qingxuan shook his head slightly. "If a genius doesn't survive till the end, they're no genius at all. Otherwise, over the countless ages of the True Realm, the stars would be full of such fallen prodigies."
Lu Wuchen knew that Ji Qingxuan had only met Li Hao once and didn't have much attachment to him. He himself had a stronger impression.
"That boy… I couldn't see through him. But I had the feeling… he might have even greater potential than Gu Yan."
"Perhaps."
Ji Qingxuan nodded. Back at Di Jian Mountain, he had observed the cultivation of these new junior disciples. The fact that Li Hao had been the only one to pass the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty's test, even defeating a born Sword Immortal, showed that there was something truly unique about him.
"Forget it. Let's focus on these three for now. If they can break through in the next two years, they might not embarrass themselves at the Southern Domain Battle. Otherwise, they won't even qualify to step onto the battlefield."
He sighed. "But even if they do qualify, given their current level, they'll just be background characters—easily forgotten. Perhaps we should place our hopes on the other branches of Da Meng Jiu Yuan. I heard there's a monstrous talent in the Gun Yuan lineage. Maybe he can lead our sect back into the ranks of the Heavenly First Sects."
Hearing this, Lu Wuchen glanced toward Gun Yuan's territory, deep in thought.
Unlike Ji Qingxuan, who bore the burden of the sect's prestige, Lu Wuchen only cared about Jian Yuan. To him, Jian Yuan was home.
Ji Qingxuan, however, had a broader vision. He was willing to carry the weight of the entire Da Meng Jiu Yuan.
Inside Shui Yue Hall.
The entire courtyard was part of a Water Moon Secret Realm. Li Hao sat in a pavilion near an arched bridge, eating roasted ancient demon meat, watching a young woman practicing her swordsmanship in the courtyard.
Dressed in light yellow robes, Gu Xingwan wielded her sword with focused precision. Her movements were fluid, resembling a butterfly weaving through flowers.
However, while her technique was elegant, her strikes lacked the decisive sharpness that could truly cut through the heavens.
Instead, her attacks carried a gentle yet persistent force, likely influenced by her Water Dao Essence, which subtly integrated into her swordplay.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Gu Xingwan's celestial energy surged, her flowing sword movements converging into a single point. Like gathering waves, the condensed force exploded outward, creating a powerful shockwave.
The sword energy cleaved through the mist, causing the surrounding trees to tremble, scattering their leaves.
Satisfied with her progress, she turned to look at Li Hao. But the sight of him eating so intently—completely unfazed—made her frown. Pouting slightly, she said,
"Grandfather asked you to spar with me today, to guide my swordsmanship. And you're just sitting there eating?"
"Me eating doesn't stop me from watching."
Li Hao defended himself, though he had to quickly swallow his food before speaking properly.
"Hmph, then tell me—how was my last strike? How long until I catch up to you?"
Gu Xingwan snorted, but her eyes carried a hint of anticipation, waiting for his praise.
"Catch up to me?"
Li Hao was momentarily stunned, then shook his head. "That depends on luck. As for your last strike… well, it was barely acceptable."
"…Hmm?"
Hearing this evaluation, Gu Xingwan's cheeks flushed red. Even her ears turned crimson. She felt both anger and frustration, along with a tinge of embarrassment.
"Was it really that bad?"
Seeing her expression, Li Hao realized he might have been too blunt. He coughed lightly and rephrased,
"Actually, it wasn't bad. But you unconsciously apply your Water Dao Essence to your swordplay, which interferes with the technique."
"If you had comprehended Metal Dao Essence instead, the impact might not be as significant."
"What do you mean?"
Gu Xingwan frowned in confusion.
Li Hao stood up and walked over. Taking her sword from her hand, he said,
"Watch closely. I'll only demonstrate once."
She stared at him as he spoke casually, still holding his half-eaten roasted meat in one hand while gripping the sword with the other. He didn't look like a teacher at all.
But she had grown used to his attitude and forced herself to focus.
"The concept of Qing Tian is to sever everything—even the heavens themselves. That's why this immortal technique demands an extremely high level of sword comprehension."
Li Hao raised his hand, and in the instant he swung his sword, his previously relaxed gaze turned razor-sharp, like a flash of lightning slicing through the void. The sword energy surged forward, twisting space itself, as if nothing in the world could withstand it.
This time, Li Hao deliberately moved slower, essentially guiding Gu Xingwan step by step.
She stood there, watching in a daze. By the time she snapped back to reality, she saw that Li Hao had already returned to the pavilion, her sword now embedded in the ground before her.
Stunned for a moment, she reached out and grasped her sword. Glancing at the youth who had gone back to eating without a care, she said nothing. Instead, she lowered her head, stared at her sword's blade for a moment, then closed her eyes, letting celestial energy build up inside her.
The energy surged to its peak within moments before she unleashed a single strike.
Sword light streaked across the sky, as if it could cleave the secret realm apart.
Li Hao looked up briefly and gave a slight nod. Not bad. Just one demonstration, and she grasped quite a bit.
"Not bad."
He offered a rare compliment.
Gu Xingwan also sensed the difference in her attack. Her eyes lit up with joy—her strike was undoubtedly much stronger than before.
"I understand now. I shouldn't store power in the sword, but within myself. The sword should only unleash its power at the moment of attack."
She spoke with newfound confidence. Though she still relied on the Water Dao Essence, she no longer let the sword accumulate energy—instead, she gathered it within herself.
"That's also a clever technique," Li Hao remarked.
Gu Xingwan beamed, glancing at him. But when she saw him smiling back at her, her cheeks suddenly flushed red, and she turned away in embarrassment.
Today's guidance was more valuable than years of bitter cultivation and experimentation. She had gained immensely.
"Thank you," she murmured softly, almost inaudibly.
"A small matter," Li Hao replied casually, then stood up. "You can keep practicing. I'm going to find your grandfather."
Hearing that he was leaving, Gu Xingwan's expression dropped slightly. "But I'm still not familiar enough. Can't you teach me a little more?"
"I already showed you. You need to comprehend it yourself. Teaching alone won't help."
With that, he turned and left for Shui Yue Hall.
Gu Xingwan stomped her foot slightly. Watching him leave without the slightest hesitation, she bit her lip.
Inside Shui Yue Hall, Li Hao found Gu Changming meditating. But in front of him, an illusory star domain swirled, with countless stars orbiting within it, as if a miniature universe lay before his eyes.
"You're here."
Gu Changming opened his eyes and smiled. "That child must have troubled you."
Clearly, he had been aware of everything happening in the courtyard.
"A small matter," Li Hao replied nonchalantly.
"The matter of your Lingguan appointment took some effort since you're a special case. But it's been processed now. Here's your Fumo Lingguan Token, your Lingguan Celestial Slaying Robe, and the Shenjin Fumo Sword."
With a wave of his hand, several objects appeared before Li Hao.
The Fumo Lingguan Token gleamed silver, resembling a military command seal. It contained his official identity as a Lingguan, impossible to counterfeit.
The Lingguan Celestial Slaying Robe was elegant yet regal, with flowing sleeves and a silver-white radiance. It was an immortal-grade artifact, imbued with celestial laws, capable of withstanding attacks from low-rank Xianjun realm cultivators.
The Shenjin Fumo Sword was another immortal artifact, standard equipment for Lingguans. Since Li Hao was a low-rank Lingguan, his sword matched that rank.
It was forged by the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, with a ferocious ancient demon's skull as its hilt design.
"With this attire, anywhere you go within Yan Chu's borders—whether in major prefectures or cities—you will have full jurisdiction. Local officials will cooperate with you."
Gu Changming explained.
Li Hao nodded. He already possessed Xianbing inheritance, so equipment wasn't an issue for him.
His Taowu Blade was a top-tier immortal weapon, far surpassing the Shenjin Fumo Sword. However, because it had bonded with him, drawing power from his celestial energy, it was difficult to wield at full strength. At his current level—True Immortal Realm, Third Layer—even if he drained his energy completely, he couldn't unleash half of Taowu's full power.
Though he had the Zhutian Star Meridian replenishing his energy, his personal capacity was simply too low.
"I should focus on cultivation for now. And I have enough spirit stones."
He mused to himself.
Cooking ancient demon meat mainly strengthened his primordial spirit but did little for his cultivation realm. Here, inside Shui Yue Secret Realm, celestial energy was abundant. If he combined it with immortal-grade spirit stones, breaking through would be relatively easy.
"For now, since you're stationed in Qinghe Miecheng, I've reported to the Fumo Division that you're following me to hunt demons. That means you don't need to check in with them right away. You can focus on cultivation for now. Whether it's after the Southern Domain Battle or whenever you feel like it, you can decide when to report in."
Gu Changming smiled. "Per your request, I arranged a leisurely assignment. But you'll have to show up at least once eventually."
"Thank you, Elder Gu."
Li Hao smiled.
"Go on. Let me know if you need anything."
"Alright."
Li Hao took his leave and returned to his courtyard, settling into his residence for cultivation.
Since he now lived permanently inside the Shui Yue Secret Realm, his cultivation would naturally progress—even without actively training, his strength would grow over time. The environment was far superior to the Wildfire Camp.
After all, with his name on the Xiangong Leaderboard, news of his achievements had spread. Back in Wildfire Camp, visitors constantly came to meet him, making it impossible to find peace. Escaping here was the best way to stay undisturbed.
Sitting in his quarters, Li Hao activated his divine sense, linking it to his Lingguan Token.
Within it, the Xiangong Exchange Treasury appeared—a vast collection of treasures from the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, all available for exchange using Xiangong Points.
Even if all the Xiangong Points were spent, the Xiangong Record would still exist.
Li Hao didn't plan to use up his Xiangong Points just yet. Many rare medicinal herbs, celestial pills, and other treasures in the treasury didn't interest him. As for Xianbing, he already had Taowu, so he wasn't lacking weapons.
He didn't dwell on it for long and directly exchanged 100,000 Xiangong Points for 100,000 Xianshi.
One Xiangong Point for one Xianshi—this kind of exchange was considered extravagant. Many people wouldn't bear to use their points for Xianshi, preferring to save them for rare pills and elixirs. But for Li Hao, convenience mattered more.
"When I have time, I should cash in those three promissory notes from Di Dian."
He thought to himself.
Each of those notes was worth a million Xianshi. He wondered if that merchant guild had already gone bankrupt.
Xianshi was precious—even with his Lingguan status, his monthly salary was only 100 Xianshi.
For an ordinary True Immortal, working as a bodyguard for an Immortal Clan could earn them just four or five Xianshi a month, which was already considered excellent treatment.
With 100,000 Xianshi, Li Hao estimated that he could cultivate up to True Immortal Realm, Eighth or Ninth Layer.
Having just finished his ancient demon meal, he activated his Dao Domain, overlapping space and altering the flow of time. Even if Gu Changming tried to probe his actions inside the Dao Domain, Li Hao would sense it immediately.
He began refining Xianshi, transforming them into vast celestial energy that surrounded him before slowly absorbing them.
When he got hungry, he paused cultivation and started cooking ancient demon meat.
After eating, he resumed cultivation. When he got hungry again, he cooked more and ate.
This cycle repeated over and over as time flowed.
Life on the border was monotonous—day after day, it was either war or waiting for war.
Now that the battle with the ancient demons had ended, most of the soldiers were either training or cultivating.
—
Boom!
In a military camp, Gu Yan's figure was sent flying, blood spurting from his mouth.
He wiped the blood off the corner of his lips, his eyes filled with stubborn defiance. Just as he was about to get up for another round, the soldier facing him waved his hand and said,
"You've already started harboring killing intent—don't take this too seriously. If I keep going, I might actually hurt you."
Gu Yan's expression shifted slightly. The anger in his heart dissipated as he silently stood up, bowed, and said,
"Thank you for the lesson."
"Lesson? Hardly. It's just that I like bullying young prodigies while they're still weak—it's quite fun."
The middle-aged soldier laughed heartily, making no effort to hide his thoughts.
Nearby, Ji Qingxuan and Lu Wuchen watched in silence. Ji Qingxuan nodded at the soldier and said,
"Let's drink together sometime."
"Anytime."
The soldier waved and turned to leave.
Ji Qingxuan approached Gu Yan and said,
"Even though his realm is one layer above yours, if you truly went all out, you might not necessarily lose. Unless you have a hidden trump card I don't know about—but those things can only be used once. Do you understand?"
Gu Yan had to tilt his head slightly to look at his senior brother, which annoyed him. He hated looking up at people.
After glancing up briefly, he turned away and muttered,
"I understand."
"As long as you get it. Go back and digest this experience properly. You've been here for a year now, and while you haven't won much, the progress you've made is obvious."
Ji Qingxuan remarked.
Gu Yan clenched his fist slightly, nodded, and walked away.
"Even though we haven't fought ancient demons yet, these military experts have survived battles against them. Sparring with them is no different from fighting ancient demons."
Wei Hongye said to Murong Qingwu and Yue Xi.
The two girls nodded slightly. They had already realized how terrifying these veterans were.
Their attack speed, their stealth, their explosiveness—it was completely different from sparring outside.
This year of training had already changed them drastically.
"Don't slack off. Keep training. Master said that the Dream Lord has divined that Hao Tian's lifeforce is still intact—which means he hasn't died. Maybe he just never came here."
Wei Hongye smiled. "Right now, we're all training hard. In another year, you'll meet him again. Maybe you'll even surpass him."
The two girls exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up with determination.
"I wish we could fight ancient demons too—I really want to see them up close."
Murong Qingwu muttered.
Wei Hongye chuckled. "There will be chances in the future. If you really get bored, we can visit the Ancient Demon Battle Arena. The army captures ancient demons from the battlefield and uses them for training. It prevents the soldiers from growing complacent during peacetime. I'll take you to watch sometime."
"Alright!"
Both girls immediately agreed.
—
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, three years had passed since Li Hao arrived in Qinghe Miecheng.
Aside from the initial war, there had been no further invasions from the ancient demons. This was normal for the soldiers stationed here—after such a massive calamity-level invasion, even the ancient demons needed time to recover.
In the True Realm, a mere three years was nothing—it was but a flicker of time.
But for the young prodigies preparing for the Southern Domain Battle, these three years felt like an eternity. Every day was relentless training.
—
"The last month is here. We should start preparing to head to Xian Du Royal City."
In the courtyard of Shui Yue Hall, Gu Xingwan sheathed her sword and turned to Li Hao.