Chapter 505: Origin Dao Fruit
"Now is probably the most intense time of competition," Li Hao said.
The others had just arrived at Origin City, competing for the spiritual explosion. When the number of people decreased later, the competition would not be as fierce.
"Indeed," the old man responded.
"Then I'll borrow a piece of land here, senior," Li Hao said.
The old man, somewhat surprised, nodded. "Feel free."
Li Hao immediately sat down, ignoring the five beams of light reaching the heavens, and instead focused on carving the segment of the tree root in his hand, turning it into a piece of art with his sword energy.
The old man watched as Li Hao concentrated, his face showing a hint of curiosity. He hadn't expected someone to ignore the spiritual explosion and choose to carve instead.
With nothing else to do, the old man casually flicked his fishing rod, but his gaze remained on Li Hao's carving, watching him intently.
Li Hao gradually entered a trance, surrounded by his Dao domain. The domains of Time, Space, Water, Fire, and Earth gathered around him, keeping him in complete peace and focus, free from distractions.
The sword energy carved into the tree root, and slowly, the outline and spirit of a figure began to appear. The carving seemed to blend with the painting, a seamless fusion.
Li Hao had already reached the 11th level of the Painting Dao, while his Carving Dao was only at the 10th level.
At this moment, many of his insights into the Painting Dao were also converging into his fingers.
Earlier, he had already comprehended Space Dao through painting, so now, he poured all his focus into understanding the Dao insights from the act of carving.
Soon, the divine tree began to take shape, releasing divine radiance. The severed root in Li Hao's hand gradually transformed into the image of a woman in flowing clothes.
The woman was Lin Qingying.
Her eyes were clear and tranquil, vivid and lifelike, almost as if she were standing in Li Hao's palm.
"Oh?"
The old man saw the carved figure and was immediately surprised. He could tell that Li Hao's carving skills were profound, on a level rarely seen even among the great figures he had encountered.
After a while, as the final details were carved, Li Hao suddenly became aware of his surroundings and realized where he was.
He had been so absorbed in the carving that he had completely lost track of time.
Looking at Lin Qingying, whose figure seemed to glow with Dao energy, Li Hao's eyes flickered as he began to carve again.
Soon, Lin Qingying's wooden sculpture held a sword, the sword half unsheathed but seemingly floating in the air.
Around the sword, sharp Dao light emitted, clearly the Void Sword Dao that Lin Qingying practiced.
To be precise, it was the No-Sword Dao.
The old man's surprise deepened. While carving the woman herself wasn't that rare, the fact that Li Hao had managed to carve the very Dao that she practiced was remarkable.
"It seems your carving has entered the Dao," the old man muttered.
Li Hao came to his senses and smiled at the old man. He then examined the carving in his hands, but the smile on his face gradually faded.
The carving was perfect, yet for some reason, he felt something was missing.
While carving, he had felt the texture hidden in the divine tree root, which carried the aura of the Wood Dao Origin.
And as he carved, he felt he was gradually understanding it, but it still wasn't enough.
"True carving should perhaps be flawless and natural..."
"The way the divine tree grows is like a natural carving..."
Li Hao's eyes brightened with realization. He quickly stood up and decided to carve another segment of the divine tree. Then, feeling a bit embarrassed, he turned to the old man.
"Senior, may I borrow another piece?"
"No problem, take what you need," the old man said with a smile, seemingly understanding something.
Li Hao let out a sigh of relief, clasped his hands in thanks, and then put away the carving of Lin Qingying before beginning the next.
This time, he thought of Wang Lao, and then remembered the person Wang Lao was pursuing—Ying Xiaoxiao.
When he first met her at the roadside tea stand, she stood elegantly in the wind, smiling and introducing herself: "My surname is Ying, and my name means that I will always answer, Xiaoxiao."
The way her laughter danced in the breeze, and her carefree nature, made Li Hao smile involuntarily.
With the Dao floating in his hands, this time he used the Time Origin instead of the sword energy.
Time moved gently and rapidly over the divine wood, as if caressing it, and the tree began to change.
The divine light on the tree blossomed, the wood grain cracked, and twisted, extending into lines, which then gradually formed the image of a woman.
The woman's form gradually became clearer, and the divine wood's leaves bloomed, splitting and transforming into her dark green hair.
The old man watched this change, his eyes slightly narrowing. Then, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips.
It seemed he hadn't misjudged the young man after all... He quietly watched Li Hao carve.
Using Time to carve, the process wasn't quick. Time passed around Li Hao, and once he finished the carving, the old man gazed at the figure and his eyes slightly widened.
"Huh..." Li Hao exhaled lightly, looking at the carving in his hands with satisfaction.
At that moment, he noticed the divine light from the five beams above his head had faded. Looking up, he saw that the five divine trees had returned to their original state.
"Is it over?" Li Hao asked in surprise.
"It's been over a month," the old man replied.
Li Hao was stunned. "I carved for a month?"
"Yes," the old man nodded slightly, looking at the carving in Li Hao's hands. "Where did you meet this woman? Who is she to you?"
Li Hao looked at Ying Xiaoxiao and said, "She's a friend."
"A friend, huh..." The old man's eyes narrowed slightly. "When did you meet her? This young lady isn't simple."
"You know her?" Li Hao's heart stirred. He immediately thought of Ying Xiaoxiao's previous incarnation, the goddess Shi Miao, who had once roamed the True World under the command of the Celestial Emperor ten thousand years ago.
This old man, living in the Origin City, seemed so mysterious. He most likely knew Ying Xiaoxiao's previous self, or perhaps her original form.
"She was once a top genius and goddess, dominating the True World, defeating the younger generation so thoroughly that no one could stand beside her. Only a handful of individuals in the entire True World could stand alongside her. The others were also extremely formidable, with potential to become Celestial Emperors and reach the pinnacle of the True World. Unfortunately..." The old man shook his head.
Li Hao's eyes flickered. "So, senior, you've been here for ten thousand years?"
The old man smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he said, "It seems you use this little technique to comprehend the Dao."
Li Hao, realizing the old man wouldn't answer his previous question, didn't press further but thought to himself, "Comprehending the Dao is just a side effect. I'm merely pursuing a higher level of carving."
"Haha..." The old man burst into laughter upon hearing Li Hao's words. Comprehending the Dao as a side effect? Carving as the main goal?
He laughed heartily, "You can only say that to me. If you say that to others, they might not take it so kindly."
Li Hao realized his words might attract some unwanted attention and awkwardly said, "My apologies, senior."
"However, although this may be a small Dao, it seems quite extraordinary," the old man said after his laughter subsided. He suddenly became more serious, "An Immortal Emperor once said that the path of a small Dao leading to the Heavenly Dao might be your situation. And while this small Dao may seem insignificant, I can already see traces of two great Daos in it. This is quite remarkable."
"A small Dao leading to the Heavenly Dao?" Li Hao was taken aback, his eyes brightening as he felt a sense of excitement, as though he had found a kindred spirit. "What was the name of that Immortal Emperor?"
"He's long fallen, and his name is buried in the river of time. It's better not to disturb him," the old man shook his head. "You've cultivated to this level, and perhaps your cultivation path is right. It's somewhat similar to that Immortal Emperor."
Li Hao didn't ask further, understanding the old man's reluctance to reveal more. He thought he could ask Wang Lao when they met next time.
"Perhaps," Li Hao said. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He realized that through fishing, he had comprehended the Time Dao. His understanding of the Painting Dao even contained the Space Dao, Water Dao, and Earth Dao. This was truly remarkable.
It was known that the five Daos of the Nine Sequences—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—could each extend into multiple great Daos. This was what made the Nine Sequences so powerful.
And now, the skills he had mastered seemed to contain three great Daos of the Nine Sequences in one technique. It seemed far more powerful than he had initially thought. In fact, it might even be a higher level than the Nine Sequences.
"Perhaps there is a form of cultivation, a single practice, that can allow one to comprehend the Nine Sequences or even the True Dao of all things..."
Suddenly, Li Hao had a flash of insight, and his mind jolted.
If there really were such a practice or technique where mastering it could allow one to comprehend the Nine Sequences, that would mean... life itself?
And the essence of life is reincarnation!
Li Hao shuddered. He recalled the ancient demon woman Mi Xueyao, whom he had encountered earlier. She possessed fragments of reincarnation. He had also heard that the Ancient Demon Clan emerged from the cycle of reincarnation, and its destruction had released the demons.
Everything seemed to be connected...
"What are you thinking about?" the old man's voice interrupted, bringing Li Hao back to reality.
Li Hao snapped back to attention, putting away the carving of Ying Xiaoxiao and shaking his head. "Nothing, um, senior... may I take another piece of the tree root?"
The old man smiled lightly and said, "Take it, if you need it."
Li Hao thanked him repeatedly, then once again took a segment of the tree root. He began to infuse it with his Immortal Power.
The divine tree absorbed the Immortal Power like an endless void. No matter how much Li Hao poured in, it still seemed insatiable, and he was quite astonished.
But he didn't stop. Instead, he activated the Chu Zhutian Starry Pulse, and starry light surrounded him, extending like veins, continuously supplying the Immortal Power into the divine tree.
This origin world has no stars, but the Star Pulse seems to extend through the Origin Secret Realm, reaching into another space-time.
"End Realm?"
The elder saw the starlight around Li Hao and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes. Clearly, Li Hao's performance exceeded his expectations. Despite only being in the True Immortal Realm, he had somehow cultivated the End Realm.
Once one masters the Star Pulse of the Heavens, a continuous stream of celestial power can be used, making one an unstoppable monster on the battlefield.
Such a person, if they were in the Immortal King realm, would be terrifying.
An Immortal King who never tires would be a presence that could overwhelm the battlefield, surpassing the might of a million Immortal armies!
With the continuous flow of celestial power, Li Hao poured energy for three full days and nights. Only then did the broken part of the Divine Tree show signs of recovery.
Li Hao was greatly shocked. The nurturing of this Golden Tree Divine Wood seemed to exceed his imagination.
"You continue with your work. Don't waste time," the elder said, smiling at Li Hao. "By the time this tree heals, your stay here may be over."
"But elder..." Li Hao hesitated. While the elder's suggestion seemed reasonable, stopping now would mean taking the divine tree for free.
"I have time. I'll take it slow," the elder replied. "You are still young. While you're young, do more useful things. Let me take care of this time-consuming task."
Li Hao felt a bit ashamed and guilty. "Elder, I cannot repay you for this kindness."
"You'll have the chance," the elder smiled. "With your talents, if you don't fall, you may have the chance to explore the highest position in the future. If you still care about this kindness by then, it's never too late to repay."
Li Hao forced a bitter smile. He didn't dare to think about becoming an Immortal Emperor.
But since the elder said so, he could only thank him and silently remember the favor.
He then prepared to continue sitting cross-legged and carving.
But just then, a powerful aura suddenly rushed toward them, coming close in an instant, crossing through the void.
A young man, dressed in royal robes with a noble aura, stood with his hands behind his back in the air above the Golden Tree.
His gaze fell on Li Hao and the elder, his brow raised in surprise. Clearly, he hadn't expected to see anyone else here apart from himself.
When he saw that Li Hao was only in the True Immortal Realm, the surprise faded from his eyes, and he grew indifferent. His gaze shifted to the Golden Divine Tree.
The elder also noticed the newcomer, but his expression remained calm. He didn't speak.
The royal-robed young man circled the divine tree once, his brow furrowing slightly. "Where is the divine fruit of the tree?"
His gaze then shifted to Li Hao, and sharp light flashed in his eyes. "Kid, did you eat it?"
"What?" Li Hao was stunned. He felt the powerful aura emanating from the young man, and his face grew serious. The young man was in the Immortal Lord Realm, and his aura was much stronger than the one he had defeated before, perhaps at the same level as Chu Tianhuang.
"Hmph, how dare you lay your hands on such a divine item, you're courting death!" The royal-robed young man's eyes glowed with killing intent. He released a divine light from his palm, intending to crush Li Hao with the Immortal Dao laws.
But just then, the elder slowly spoke, "He didn't eat your Origin Dao Fruit. Don't make trouble here."
The royal-robed young man looked at the elder, his eyes narrowing, his expression growing more serious. He suddenly cupped his hands and said, "Elder, are you the true body of this Origin Divine Tree?"
"True body? The Origin Divine Tree?" Li Hao turned to the elder, thinking back to what Taowu had said, and was shocked. The golden divine tree in front of him really was an Origin Divine Tree?
But there were already five Origin Divine Trees in the city, each corresponding to the five Dao of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. What about this one?
"Your ancestor must have told you, right? Your aura is very similar to that young lad's. I didn't expect..." The elder's eyes revealed disappointment and regret.
Once, a young lad, just like this one, was an extraordinary genius. He had the Nine Flowers Immortal Seal and wielded the Space-Time Dao. He came to the Five Dao Origin City.
The elder had attracted him, passed on his teachings, hoping to give him a chance to become an Immortal Emperor.
That young lad, trembling in gratitude, had left this place many years ago. Now, his descendant had come and directly demanded the divine fruit of the tree.
The elder didn't know if the youth had changed over time or if it was his descendants' nature that was the same.
But he believed it was more likely the former. After all, in royal families, younger generations always obeyed their strong elders.
"Senior, I possess the Nine Flowers Immortal Seal and aspire to become an Immortal Emperor. I humbly request an opportunity from you. In the future, I will repay you!" The young man bowed deeply, his expression solemn.
The elder sighed in his heart, shook his head, and said, "The Origin Dao Fruit is gone. I'm afraid I can't give you this opportunity. You should go back to the city and continue your cultivation."
"Senior, I come with sincerity. My Jin Yun Immortal Dynasty will give rise to a Supreme in the future. I ask you to bestow an opportunity upon me!" The young man said seriously, but his tone carried a hint of coercion.
The elder's face darkened slightly, and he said, "Leave here, or try to take it by force."
The young man stared at the elder, but his eyes showed disappointment. "Elder, don't regret this. I won't attack your true body, but since this brat ate the Origin Dao Fruit, I'll make him spit it out!"
As he spoke, he turned to look at Li Hao. A murderous intent suddenly flared in his eyes as he raised his hand to strike down at Li Hao.
Clearly, he recognized that Li Hao was extraordinary. To be able to come to the Origin City, with fluctuations of the Space-Time Dao around him, he was undoubtedly a genius.
The Origin Divine Tree had made a mistake, giving the Origin Dao Fruit to this boy. It could only be said that the tree had misjudged.
"Die!" He shouted, his voice cold. The laws of the Immortal Dao pressed down on Li Hao, and an immense killing intent suddenly rushed toward him from all directions.
Li Hao had anticipated this change, but he still changed his expression when the attack came.
Origin Dao Fruit?
What did the other person mean by not attacking the Divine Tree and being unable to strike at him?
Did the tree root he cut earlier count as an attack on the tree?
Suddenly, Li Hao understood. No wonder the elder allowed him to take a piece of the tree root. It seemed like the elder had deliberately let him break the rules. If he didn't obey or acted too recklessly, the elder could strike at him without hesitation.
Li Hao's face shifted slightly, and he felt a bit uncomfortable.
He had just felt gratitude toward the elder, but now he realized there had been a hidden calculation behind it.
However, there was no time to think about this now. The murderous aura coming from all directions made his skin crawl.
This young man was no ordinary Immortal Lord. He was a top-tier genius among them!
Heavenly Law Manifestation!
Li Hao's eyes shone with divine light as his cultivation exploded. The Nine Flowers Immortal Seal appeared on his forehead, and at that moment, he held nothing back and fully unleashed his power.
Boom!
With his Heavenly Law Manifestation fusing with his body, celestial energy surged. He used the Heavenly War Mastery from the Ancestor Scriptures to break out. With nine layers of celestial energy amplification, the Blue Sky Swordsmanship was unleashed.
The dazzling sword intent seemed ready to flatten the surrounding forest for a hundred miles. It flickered and cut through the void, breaking open a gap in the Immortal Dao law that was meant to trap him.
His figure broke free, his hair standing on end as he glared furiously at the young man.
"Huh?"
The young man clearly hadn't expected a True Immortal Realm cultivator to break through his attack.
The sudden surge in power and amplification left him somewhat surprised, and his eyes widened in shock.
When he sensed Li Hao's powerful aura, he finally realized that this True Immortal Realm cultivator had incredibly strong talent and methods, and shouldn't be underestimated. He could probably even kill ordinary Immortal Lords!
A True Immortal overcoming an Immortal Lord—this was already an astonishing feat!
A cold glint appeared in his eyes. He grew more convinced that the Origin Dao Fruit had been granted to this young man by the Divine Tree itself. His celestial energy surged, and a shadow of his own Heavenly Law Manifestation appeared behind him. He raised his hand to press down on Li Hao.
"Eight Directions Thunder Extinction!"
A massive hand appeared, seeming to contain an endless thunderous prison, thick and dark like deep blackness.
"Quick, hide inside the Divine Tree! He dares not harm you!"
The elder's voice suddenly rang out in Li Hao's mind.
Li Hao was momentarily stunned, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, but he quickly used a spatial shift to rush toward the Golden Tree trunk.
The young man's expression changed. He angrily shouted, "Come out!"
Li Hao, seeing the situation, decisively said, "We have no grievances or enmities. You are being excessive!"
"You took what you shouldn't have. This isn't your opportunity. It's your calamity!" the young man coldly replied.
Li Hao realized that the young man had already decided that he took the Origin Dao Fruit, so there was no point in explaining. The more he explained, the more muddled it would get.
He coldly said, "What's your name? Jin Yun Immortal Dynasty, right? I'll remember it!"
"Oh? You want to seek revenge?" The young man sneered upon hearing Li Hao's words.
But seeing Li Hao hiding behind the tree trunk, his face darkened. He understood that Li Hao had found refuge and would not come out anytime soon.
"Elder, drive him out. The Jin Yun Immortal Dynasty will form a good relationship with you in the future," the young man said, turning to the elder.
The elder shook his head, "Leave. Don't waste time here."
"You really want to side with such a person with no background?" The young man's face darkened.
"That's my business," the elder coldly replied.
The young man's face sank. He turned back to look at Li Hao, and killing intent was evident in his eyes. "Since you know I'm from the Jin Yun Immortal Dynasty, remember my name. Jin Fengling! Come find me when you're ready!"
Li Hao heard the young man's arrogant words and understood that he was deliberately leaving a name to provoke him. It was an expression of immense self-confidence, and even if he didn't leave his name, Li Hao could still track him down.
He didn't say anything, just remembered the young man's appearance.
Jin Fengling didn't speak further. He flicked his sleeve and sneered, flying off toward the Origin City.