Chapter 546: The Invincible Fist
Seeing Li Hao step forward to fight, Jin Ziyin and the others narrowed their eyes—they hadn't expected Li Hao to have such boldness, or to be so arrogant.
"You really think nothing of us, do you? Yushu, fall back!"
Jin Ziyin's eyes turned icy as a surging emerald aura erupted from his body, filled with vibrant immortal Power and the essence of the Dao of Life.
Though the Dao of Life was outside the Nine Sequences, it was still an extremely powerful origin Dao, surpassing weapon Daos like sword or spear, and ranked among the core realm-origin Daos.
Equal to the Dao of Life were the Dao of Destruction, the Dao of Lightning, Light, Darkness, and others—just beneath the Nine Sequences, yet powerful enough to dominate a region if mastered to a deep level.
At his command, the Jin princess Jin Yushu—who had been dueling with Gu Yan—flashed away and returned to his side, her aura merging into their formation.
"Interesting. You actually think to challenge the nine of us? Even if you've got the strength to fight for the top ten, this is beyond reckless."
The youth with the nine-petal immortal imprint on his forehead looked at Li Hao with a faint smile.
He stood tall, hands behind his back, gazing down from the sky as if lamenting the fall of a promising genius.
"Junior brother, fall back."
Li Hao ignored the provocation and simply addressed Gu Yan, who was still panting from the chase.
Gu Yan hesitated for a moment, then obeyed. Deep down, he had come to truly acknowledge this "senior brother."
"Qingying, keep an eye on them. I can handle this alone—otherwise I might hurt you all."
Li Hao didn't look back. He just spoke to Lin Qingying in a calm, steady tone.
Seeing that he truly intended to face them alone, Yuexi's expression changed. She quickly said, "Junior brother, don't be reckless! Let's fight together!"
"A chaotic fight will only hold me back."
Li Hao's tone was firm, without room for debate.
Even if Yuexi and the others joined, it wouldn't make much difference against the Yin-Yang Annihilation Array. Worse, he'd have to protect them mid-fight.
"This Haotian guy really is stubborn. Not even willing to bow his head now?"
"Looks like it's finally going to turn bloody. Hopefully both sides suffer heavy losses—then we can step in easily without revealing our trump cards."
Outside the Imperial Platform, other competitors were watching, holding back from entering.
They had long seen that this platform was headed for a clash between Li Hao and the Jin Dynasty royal clan. Unless Li Hao gave in, no one else would get a shot.
But now that he hadn't backed down, no matter who won, it would open a chance for them to move in.
"Hmph, so eager to show off."
Atop the mountain where the Da Meng Jiu Yuan Sect was stationed, Yin Jingcheng watched grimly.
Seeing the boy thrust himself into the spotlight only made him feel increasingly irritable.
"This isn't a wise choice. If he had negotiated with the Jin clan, they might have given up three spots. That junior who uses the sword has top-hundred potential. They could've taken him in and left it at that."
Beside him, Meng Huaiyue frowned. She clearly disagreed with Li Hao's decision. If he lost, the sect might walk away from this platform with nothing.
Hearing their concerns, the Da Meng Master stayed silent. She had an odd, uneasy feeling—mostly worry for Li Hao.
She wasn't surprised by his choice. Maybe it was their months together in the painted realm, or their daily interactions—she had come to understand the boy's nature.
"Win or lose, as long as he performs in a way that dazzles the world, that's enough to uphold our sect's honor."
She spoke softly, eyes fixed on the youth atop the Imperial Platform. "He's already done more than enough. Even if he loses this fight, it won't be shameful."
Hearing this, both Yin Jingcheng and Meng Huaiyue paused and glanced at their master's back, momentarily finding her unfamiliar.
"Come on, kid… show them what you've got."
Far away, atop the Sword Abyss in the Yan Chu region of Da Meng Jiu Yuan, Abyss Master Yun Wumian stared at the image above him, deep light flickering in his eyes.
"Hmph. Think you can shatter the Yin-Yang Annihilation Array alone? Foolish beyond belief."
Atop another peak, among the Yun Jin Immortal Dynasty delegation, Jin Fengling stood with arms crossed, watching the youth on the platform and sneering.
Beside him, a fairy-like woman tilted her head. "Brother Fengling, do you know that youth?"
"Just some fool who doesn't know his limits."
Jin Fengling's eyes turned colder at the memory of the Origin Secret Realm, where he failed to obtain the divine tree's Dao fruit.
Too bad the boy wasn't at the Immortal Lord stage—otherwise, he'd love to meet him in a sanctioned duel and kill him on the spot.
Still, though the boy couldn't compete now, Jin Fengling had already taken note of the sect behind him.
There were three Immortal Lord cultivators in that sect's roster, clearly new to the realm. He would make them pay dearly—serve as that boy's substitute corpses.
"Looks like the real show's about to begin early."
From within the clouds, the Jin Emperor smiled faintly.
The Chu Emperor's gaze was calm as he looked at Li Hao. "To face many with few—even in defeat, he's a fine young man."
"Winning while outnumbered isn't the only path. Recklessness doesn't make a true prodigy."
The Jin Emperor chuckled lightly. Though he had admired Li Hao's earlier performance, now that Li Hao was going up against his own children, he found the boy was underestimating the royal formation of the Yun Jin Immortal Dynasty.
The Chu Emperor said no more—there was no use in empty words.
"Everyone else is just a burden. What is he doing, being so reckless?"
Atop the mountain among the Yan Chu royal clan, Chu Yueli had been watching Li Hao closely. Seeing him take down several prodigies on the Imperial Platform had filled her with delight, even pride. But now, his decision made her face darken.
If he failed to even enter the top hundred, it would be utterly disgraceful.
Chu Tianhuang and Bo Ya Xuejian stared at the scene, but their expressions gave nothing away.
On the Imperial Platform, as Jin Yushu returned to formation, Jin Ziyin activated the Yin-Yang Annihilation Array, covering half the platform in one sweep!
Since Li Hao had chosen to fight alone, it actually made things easier for them. That Ancient Sword Immortal Body boy had looked unremarkable but turned out to be quite monstrous. Who knew if there were more freaks like that hiding in the group? Better not to leave anything to chance.
"Attack!"
Jin Ziyin gave a quiet order. His green aura surged and enveloped the others. The antlers atop his head split and extended, making him look like a ruling divine stag.
Beside him, three more royal heirs from Yun Jin charged out. After a quick adjustment, Jin Yushu followed closely.
The youth with the nine-petal immortal mark didn't miss the chance either. Fighting Li Hao—ranked ninth on the Dao Flame List—was too good an opportunity to pass up. Even if the ranking didn't reflect absolute power, it made him worth sizing up.
"Crimson Candle—Xuan Extinguish!"
The youth with red scales on his face revealed a killing intent. Behind him appeared a crimson dragon phantom glowing with a mysterious dark cyan light. A blazing red divine saber formed in his palm as he charged at Li Hao.
The saber carried the origin aura of the fire Dao, intensely profound—clearly at the fourth origin realm!
Behind him, Jin Yushu once again unleashed Divine Dao—Eternal Fall. This secret art of the Ancient God Clan carried ancient divine power. In the True Realm, there was a saying: one drop of ancient god power surpassed ten thousand beams of immortal light.
Further back, the youth with the nine-petal mark revealed his immortal imprint, nine petals rotating in cycles, displaying nine different origin Dao powers. A radiance wheel appeared behind him with nine swords embedded in it.
Among the imprinted Daos, sword Dao was the core, with the others supporting it. All powers now aligned with the sword Dao and fused into one.
"Immortal Art—Winter of the Moon!"
He murmured the name of the technique, casting one of the current Ten Great Immortal Arts—a peak-tier sword Dao technique: Winter of the Moon.
The nine sword lights on the radiance wheel merged into a cold, moonlit arc blade that slashed straight down toward Li Hao.
At the same time, the other three also unleashed top-tier immortal techniques—each one among the Ten Great Immortal Arts.
Murderous force filled the sky and poured down all at once. The entire scene looked like the heavens were collapsing and the earth shattering. Half the Imperial Platform became a death zone—no one could survive.
Many watching turned pale. In immortal cities across the Southern Domain, countless people cried out in alarm.
The sheer devastation was hard to believe came from True Immortal cultivators. Even an Immortal Lord would fall to this combined assault—unless they were a high-level Immortal Lord!
"Junior brother!"
"Senior brother!"
Yuexi and Gu Yan both turned pale and tried to rush forward.
But a figure in green blocked them—Lin Qingying. Her expression was tense, her heart more anxious than anyone's. But she chose to trust Li Hao.
In that moment, behind Li Hao, the light of the Myriad Heavens Star Meridian surged forth like something tangible. The compressed and concentrated veins looked like a map of constellations. Immortal Power poured into his body like an upside-down funnel.
In an instant, a storm of immortal Power exploded from him, sweeping out like a hurricane. The overwhelming, majestic power turned heads across all the Imperial Platforms—many couldn't help but look his way.
"Myriad Heavens Star Meridian... and cultivated to the end realm of the full cycle. What incredible comprehension."
A sect elder murmured in amazement.
"To reach the second end realm while still in the True Immortal stage—that's rare."
Within a secret realm of the Southern Domain, a powerful figure smiled faintly. "Too bad... someone with talent like that probably wouldn't want to join me."
This Southern Domain competition reflected the True Realm's Southern Domain. Countless prodigies from across many territories had gathered—not just to make a name, but to earn the favor of powerful mentors and find the right teacher.
Though they all came from top sects, those weren't always their best destinations. Beyond the great sects, there were mighty wandering experts, just shy of becoming Immortal Emperors. These figures didn't form sects but carried unmatched knowledge and techniques. To be accepted as their disciple would be priceless.
"Divine Blood. Heaven-Earth Meridian. Two of the Ten End Realms already achieved. That's no small feat."
High above in the clouds, Empress Yuan Zun spoke softly.
She had seen this youth's potential even back in the True Immortal Secret Realm.
"To master all ten realms is to step into the threshold of Emperorhood. He's already a fifth of the way there."
The Tianzhao Emperor spoke softly. Though his daughter had just been defeated by Li Hao, he held no resentment toward the youth. The struggles between juniors were merely games to them—nothing that could truly stir their emotions.
The other emperors narrowed their eyes as they listened.
Words spoken casually between them would be considered earth-shaking secrets to the outside world.
No one knew that to surpass the Immortal King Realm and touch the Immortal Emperor Realm, the first requirement was to cultivate all ten realms to their final stage—the End Realm.
These ten realms spanned from the Unity Realm to the Saint Realm. Originally, none of them had an End Realm; it was a path opened by the Immortal Emperors, who shattered the limits of cultivation, elevating the life level of all races in the True Realm. It was this achievement that earned them eternal reverence.
While the emperors conversed, a vortex of immortal Power spun wildly on the Imperial Platform. At its center, Li Hao's power kept surging.
All sorts of peak-stage powers emerged—divine power, primordial spirit, Heaven-Earth Dharma Form, Heaven-Manifesting Body, Immortal Transformation, Eternal Dao Domain, the Enlightenment Realm, Dao Ancestor, Saint Realm, and even the Heavenly Dao Embryo.
Only realms like the Nihility Realm or Undying Realm couldn't be shown directly, but among the ten realms, every accessible peak power had been awakened by Li Hao.
As the True Realm's immortal Power poured in, Li Hao's Immortal Transformation at its peak brought terrifying disruptive force. His body fused with the heavens, with the Imperial Platform, and faintly sensed a sliver of distant awareness within the world itself.
That was the End Realm of Immortal Transformation—Celestial Lord.
With even a trace of Celestial Lord intent descending, Li Hao's aura became towering and razor-sharp, like an ancient emperor crashing down through the heavens. All the surrounding immortal Power was pulled into his body.
His form expanded to a hundred zhang, even though his Heaven-Manifesting Body had already condensed. He stood side by side with his Heaven-Earth Dharma Form like two towering giants, glaring down at the nine from the Yun Jin royal clan.
As all the immortal techniques approached, Li Hao raised his hand and clenched it into a fist.
At that moment, he thought of his second uncle, and the technique that had earned him renown—Half-Step Invincible Fist.
'Don't invest too much heart into anything. That way, you won't lose. The half step you save for yourself—that's true invincibility!'
"Break!!"
Li Hao's golden hair flew wildly. The power of the End Realm Divine Blood burst forth, his physical strength surging several dozen times. With the body of a Primordial Immortal, he threw a single punch. The void screamed with a terrible boom, as if the heavens were being torn open.
The explosive shock roared so loudly it drowned out all the immortal arts and sounds of battle on the platform.
His Half-Step Invincible Fist had been refined by his current Dao comprehension, elevated to a level that truly lived up to its name—half-step invincible.
Fist became Dao. Dao became fist. This punch carried the power of time and space, compressing past and future into a single blow. It became a roaring meteor streaking through the sky.
"Impossible!"
Jin Yushu's pupils contracted. Her divine Dao technique—the descending golden divine halberd—was crushed under that punch, rippling and distorting like an illusion.
The three royal heirs' immortal arts that came first were all shattered by Li Hao's punch. The dazzling scenes created by their techniques vanished in a flash, like smoke blown away.
Even the Moon Winter immortal art cast by the nine-petal mark youth had its crescent sword-light smashed apart.
Boom!
The terrifying force ripped a black fissure into the void of the platform. All immortal arts were annihilated, divine radiance shattered.
Li Hao's hundred-zhang figure, like a rebellious god of the ancient era, strode forward. The impact of each step thundered through the platform as he charged at the nine again, throwing a second punch.
Far away in the Yanchu domain, within a grand clan of an immortal city, a group of figures stared dumbstruck at the peerless youth on the platform.
Among them, an old man with white hair suddenly teared up, his throat tightening. He recognized the imprint in that punch. Though the youth's version had already transcended the original technique, the foundation was unmistakable.
"My fist technique…"
He never imagined that the martial art he had created in the mortal world would one day appear in the True Realm, before all races, and be used to suppress its proudest prodigies.
Boom!
Several figures were sent flying. Jin Yushu and the other three royals were struck by Li Hao's second punch and knocked backward, their immortal bodies covered in cracks.
They had to withstand both the Imperial Platform's death law and Li Hao's overwhelming fist Dao. All four were seriously injured on the spot.
"My immortal art…"
The nine-petal mark youth's face twisted in disbelief. His technique had been broken by a single punch from Li Hao.
It wasn't a suppression by Dao comprehension—but the brute, violent force in that punch!
Even more shocking was the immense power of time and space in that blow. The youth realized that Li Hao had mastered both of the supreme Daos within the Nine Sequences—and to an extremely profound degree!
"What a terrifying fist!"
From the mountaintops above, countless observers gasped in astonishment.