Chapter 483: Departure
As more and more disciples from the major sects gathered at the Ancient Immortal Realm, a familiar presence suddenly approached. Gu Yan and the others turned their heads and saw Li Tiemu flying in on his gourd.
Behind him, the other disciples and elders of Da Meng Jiu Yuan followed closely.
"Master!"
The three of them immediately called out, a sense of reassurance washing over them.
In this vast Ancient Immortal Realm, even though they were considered extraordinary geniuses, they couldn't help but feel isolated. After all, every disciple present was a prodigy of their own sect, most accompanied by their mentors, exuding their presence freely. Meanwhile, they had to tread carefully, avoiding unnecessary conflict before the real battles began.
"Hmm, hmm, your senior brother already told me about your progress. You didn't disappoint me."
Li Tiemu's gaze swept over his three disciples, his face full of satisfaction. Compared to three years ago, their cultivation had improved significantly. Perhaps this time, they could truly break into the Top 1000.
In his view, Gu Yan and the others weren't any weaker than their peers; they simply lacked time.
If they were given another thousand years, with their talent, breaking into the Top 1000 would be a given—perhaps even much more. Especially Gu Yan, who had the potential to reach the Top 10!
"Master, didn't Haotian come with you?"
Murong Qingwu glanced behind Li Tiemu, only to see an empty space. Unable to hold back, she asked.
Gu Yan and Yue Xi also looked around, standing on tiptoe to search, but they saw no sign of that familiar figure.
"I was actually wondering if he'd be coming from the borderlands, arriving here with you all."
Li Tiemu furrowed his brows slightly, scanning his surroundings before sighing with a hint of helplessness.
"That kid really doesn't let people rest easy. Who knows where he's wandered off to. Three years, and he didn't even send a message. Does he even have his master in his eyes anymore?"
The three exchanged glances but remained silent. However, their expressions seemed to convey the same thought: He definitely doesn't.
Li Tiemu sighed again but didn't seem overly worried.
"You don't need to be concerned. That kid got lucky—Meng Zhu gifted him a Hun Jie Dao Yu, which can predict fortune and misfortune. It can even shield him from a major calamity. If the Dao Yu had shattered, Meng Zhu would have sensed it. Since there's been no reaction, it means nothing serious has happened."
Hearing this, the three finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment, the other disciples of Da Meng Jiu Yuan also descended nearby. Among them were the elders and disciples of Jian Yuan, including the old woman and Zhou Qingyun, who led their respective sect members.
Upon seeing the changes in Gu Yan and the others, Zhou Qingyun's gaze flickered with surprise before she smiled.
"Old Li, it seems your disciples this time are about to make a breakthrough. It's not just Haotian anymore."
"The Southern Region Battle—how could they not participate?"
Li Tiemu laughed, his face brimming with pride.
"We are of the same sect and share the same fate. Let's hope they all qualify and achieve great rankings in the Southern Region Battle!" the old woman said softly.
Li Tiemu looked over at her disciples as well, noticing significant progress among them. His eyes flashed with approval.
Among them, a young woman dressed in snow-white robes—Lin Mingrong—stood silently. She had already ranked in the Top 1000 three years ago. Now, her gaze swept over Gu Yan and the others, but she didn't see the one she was looking for.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she turned to Li Tiemu and asked, "Elder Li, may I ask where your disciple is?"
"You mean Haotian?"
Li Tiemu looked at her and noticed that her aura was much stronger than three years ago—her energy was more restrained, yet it exuded a subtle Dao rhythm. Although she was still in the True Immortal Realm, she had undergone a profound transformation.
He chuckled, "That kid is too playful. Who knows where he's off wandering."
"Playful?"
Lin Mingrong was momentarily stunned. She recalled three years ago, when she and that boy had gone to visit Meng Zhu, only for him to be singled out and left behind.
At the time, he had ranked the highest among all Da Meng Jiu Yuan disciples.
Yet afterward, he had not chosen to stay and cultivate alongside them in Langya Huajing, but had vanished.
"My disciple… let's not talk about him. You all focus on your own training. The others have been improving as well—don't fall behind."
Li Tiemu chuckled. Despite his words, the pride in his expression was impossible to conceal.
"Focus, Mingrong. Work hard."
The old woman reminded her disciple gently.
Lin Mingrong's gaze sharpened as she took a deep breath. Without another word, she gripped her sword and stepped into the Desolation Domain.
"You three as well. Let me see what your three years of training have achieved."
Li Tiemu smiled at Gu Yan and the others.
The three disciples' eyes turned sharp.
Although they hadn't fought ancient demons, they had battled against the most hardened warriors in the army—men who had faced ancient demons and survived.
The relentless training, the brutal fights, the shadow of the rank 19 figure looming over them at all times—it had driven them to never stop pushing forward.
Even in their dreams, they were running to catch up.
Now, three years had passed. Even if they couldn't close the gap, they had to see how much closer they had come!
Whoosh!
Gu Yan unsheathed his sword, immediately following Lin Mingrong into the Desolation Domain.
Murong Qingwu, still mindful of etiquette, bowed to Li Tiemu before leaving. Yue Xi also gave a respectful nod before flying in pursuit.
"These two little ones."
Li Tiemu shook his head slightly but wasn't annoyed. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Qiang Yuan.
Besides Li Hao, another rising star had emerged from Qiang Yuan.
Rumor had it that, during three years of training in Langya Huajing, this disciple had received Meng Zhu's personal guidance and had made shocking progress.
Would they be able to carry the entire Da Meng Jiu Yuan alongside that brat?
Beyond Da Meng Jiu Yuan, disciples from other celestial sects were also making their moves.
"Haotian, in the Southern Region Battle, I will definitely catch up to you!"
In Wan Shan Jian Lou, a woman in a flowing blue robe stood at the edge of a massive sword-shaped domain artifact. Her gaze swept toward the direction of Da Meng Jiu Yuan, yet she didn't see that familiar figure.
She knew that if he were here, no matter how large the crowd—whether it be thousands or millions—she would have spotted him instantly.
Just as a sword fanatic could instantly find their own blade among billions of swords, she could recognize him with a single glance.
"Qingying, stay by my side. I can take you through the Tenth Desolation Domain and secure your spot in the battle."
A calm voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
A young man clad in a white celestial silkworm robe stood there, his expression indifferent, his gaze filled with an aloof arrogance, as if nothing in the world could enter his eyes. Only when he looked at the woman before him did his gaze soften slightly.
Lin Qingying snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. "No need, Senior Brother. I want to rely on my own strength."
"You haven't been in the sect for long. With your talent, you should be able to qualify for the Southern Region Battle, but this celestial dynasty assessment came too soon. If you had two more years, you could have earned the qualification yourself. I'm merely lending you those two years in advance."
The young man spoke calmly, the gentleness in his gaze fading into an air of detachment.
Lin Qingying shook her head slightly. "My time is my own. I can carve it out myself. Senior Brother, you represent the sect's reputation, so focus on your own ranking."
Without waiting for a reply, she leaped into the Desolation Domain without hesitation.
The young man furrowed his brows.
"Hong Yi Senior Brother, she's so stubborn. If she doesn't appreciate your kindness, just let her be. Why not take me instead?"
A clear and pleasant voice sounded. A woman with innocent, bright eyes approached him, her delicate features brimming with a childlike charm.
Tian Hongyi glanced at her, then let out a cold snort. "You've been in the sect for years. If you had her ambition, you wouldn't still need to rely on others."
With that, he flicked his sleeve and soared into the sky, not sparing her another glance.
The woman froze, the innocence in her eyes quickly replaced by resentment. Her teeth clenched slightly as she watched him disappear.
The Desolation Domain, which had been silent for three years, gradually came to life as countless sect disciples flooded in.
On the massive black celestial stele, numerous identity markers flickered and shifted rapidly as rankings fluctuated.
Huan Hai Men
Huo Xiaoqi had returned to his sect. His appearance had changed dramatically—his posture was more upright, and his once delicate features had become sharper, carrying an aura of both masculinity and femininity. If he let his long hair flow, he might even resemble a beautiful woman.
He scanned the surroundings but didn't spot that familiar figure. His brows knitted slightly, but he didn't linger. After bidding farewell to his sect, he dove straight into the Desolation Domain.
High Above the Desolation Domain
Chu Xiangtian and over a dozen figures stood in the air, overlooking the chaotic, shifting battlefield below.
"Look! Bo Ya Xuejian from Zhu Yu Ge is entering the domain!"
"Even Xing Lan is preparing to go in!"
"And Tian Hongyi, too!"
Their gazes swept across the field, focusing primarily on the most monstrous prodigies from various celestial sects.
Among them, the most eye-catching figure was undoubtedly Bo Ya Xuejian from Zhu Yu Ge.
Three years ago, he had forced his way into the seventh rank on the celestial stele using his own strength alone—a feat nearly unheard of.
After all, the top ten spots had always been dominated by the imperial family. Only Bo Ya Xuejian had shattered that monopoly, securing a position as the only non-royal in the top ten!
"Three years have passed… is he aiming for the top five?"
"I thought he would continue training instead of coming here so soon."
"I heard he refused multiple invitations from the imperial family. He still refuses to align himself with any faction. Looks like he's ambitious—planning to make a name for himself in the Southern Region Battle before negotiating terms!"
"That makes sense. If I were him, I'd do the same."
"Should we notify Ying Que and give him a little 'test'?"
A noblewoman with an elegant, curvaceous figure laughed lightly, her tone playful.
Chu Xiangtian shot her a cold glance and said indifferently, "Don't cause unnecessary trouble. Remember, all of them are representing our Yanchu Dynasty in this battle. Wasting their strength here is pointless. Once the Southern Region Battle begins, when they face geniuses from other celestial dynasties, their abilities will naturally be tested."
"Brother, don't be mad. I was just thinking of reminding him of our imperial authority."
The noblewoman covered her mouth as she giggled.
Chu Xiangtian narrowed his eyes slightly. Whether she was joking or had other motives, he couldn't be bothered to figure out.
Time passed.
While the fierce battles raged within the Ancient Immortal Realm, far away at the frontier in Qinghe Mo City, Li Hao remained in the Water Moon Secret Realm, dedicating himself to daily cultivation and feasting.
In these three years, he had already consumed most of the 100,000 spirit stones he exchanged using 100,000 battle merits, and his cultivation had advanced from True Immortal Realm, Third Stage to True Immortal Realm, Ninth Stage!
With only 30,000 spirit stones remaining and the dense celestial energy within his courtyard, it was more than enough to push him to True Immortal Realm, Tenth Stage—Perfection.
After reaching the Ninth Stage, his Ancestral Immortal Physique had expanded in capacity. Now, combined with the constant influx of power from the Heavenly Star Meridian, he could unleash devastating attacks instantly without draining his energy reserves.
The growth of celestial power between realms was not linear but exponential.
If his energy at Third Stage was 4, then at Ninth Stage, it was 256—a sixty-fourfold increase!
This was precisely why crossing realms to challenge higher cultivators was so difficult. Even a single stage difference could mean an overwhelming disparity in power.
Now, with his vast celestial energy, Li Hao no longer had to worry about exhausting himself with every technique. Even if his energy could recover quickly, it was vastly different from having enough power to maintain continuous, peak-strength attacks.
"Only ten days left before the trials conclude. You're really not planning to go see for yourself?"
In the courtyard, Gu Changming looked at Li Hao with a smile.
"I'll wait another five days. No point going too early—just need to show up, collect my reward, and leave." Li Hao replied casually.
He had already secured his spot for the Southern Region Battle. There was no value in entering the trials again—it wouldn't enhance his abilities.
Rather than wasting time on something meaningless, he preferred to spend five more peaceful days feasting in the secret realm.
"You brat, you really intend to make a grand entrance at the last moment, huh?" Gu Changming couldn't help but chuckle.
But he didn't object. Since Li Hao had already earned his qualification, there was indeed no rush.
"Well, at least go there and see the action, meet some old friends, and watch how intense the competition gets." Li Hao grinned.
It was said that one should see all the sights—this was one event he shouldn't miss.
Gu Changming laughed heartily at his words.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Li Hao, feeling the time was right, bid farewell to Gu Changming and left the Water Moon Secret Realm, setting out for the Celestial Capital.
On his way to Mo City's teleportation hub, a fleeting silhouette passed by.
Li Hao froze for a moment, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him.
But as he turned to look, that figure walked into a side alley.
His eyes narrowed, and without hesitation, he chased after her.
At the alley's turn, the figure had already stopped.
"You…"
Li Hao stared at the back of the woman in shock, his pupils constricting.
Slowly, she turned her head—revealing a face he knew all too well.
His heart pounded violently, and for a moment, it felt as if his blood had frozen.
Standing before him was none other than the Ancient Demon Woman, whom he had previously encountered on the battlefield—Mi Xueyao!
"How could it be you?!"
Li Hao's voice escaped before he could stop himself.
She was here, in Mo City?!
This was human territory, and not just anywhere—it was the frontline military city!
Mi Xueyao's lips curled into a playful smile as she observed his shock. "I sensed your presence just now. It seems you still remember me."
Apparently, she had deliberately revealed herself to lure him over.
Li Hao snapped out of his shock, instantly on high alert.
"You… What are you doing here?"
Mi Xueyao folded her arms and pouted. "I was being hunted by Ancient Demons, and you're not even the least bit concerned whether I survived?"
Li Hao was speechless.
"You're standing right in front of me. Do you need me to ask?"
"Hmph!"
Hearing his casual response, Mi Xueyao's playful smile vanished. Her expression turned frosty, and she let out a cold snort. "I risked my life to distract that creature for you, and you show no gratitude at all?"
Li Hao exhaled in exasperation.
Women… their moods could change in an instant—demon women included, apparently.
"I'm not screaming for the guards right now—that should be gratitude enough."
Mi Xueyao arched a brow, then smirked mischievously. "Go ahead and scream. Even if you scream until your throat is raw, it won't help you."
Li Hao narrowed his eyes.
Why did those words sound strangely familiar?