Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Novel 197 : I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
Chapter 197: Sublime Spirit Scripture!
Chapter 197: Sublime Spirit Scripture!
At this moment, the Song Clan Patriarch and Eccentric Song both stared at Meng Hao. In fact, without exception, all of the Song Clan members in the cloud layer were looking at him.
The attention of the Nascent Soul Cultivators of the five Sects and three Clans were all fixed on him as well.
To garner such attention showed how famous Meng Hao now was in the Southern Domain.
Members of the Song Clan such as Song Yunshu, as well as Han Bei, Li Shiqi, Li Daoyi… everyone’s attention was focused solely on Meng Hao.
The Chosen from the various Sects and Clans, regardless of their frustration or helplessness, regardless of what thoughts were running through their heads, were looking up at Meng Hao. Wang Tengfei, Fatty, Wang Youcai, Qian Shuihen, Lu Song….
Atop the tree, at the pinnacle of this world, Meng Hao stood alone, the focus of all the heavens.
As soon as he stepped foot on the top of the tree, he felt the boundless spiritual energy in the area sucking toward him. It was definitely enough to complete his fifth Dao Pillar. Far below the top of the tree, the massive sea seemed smaller; now it looked like a mirror.
Beyond the edges of the mirror, was nothingness…. This world was not limitless. In fact, in the midst of the nothingness could be seen what appeared to be handwriting, floating there faintly.
The ancient will of the World Tree; respect its strength, remember its intentions. Painted in the spot where the World Tree destroyed itself.
It was signed with three characters. Shui Dongliu.
“Shui Dongliu… could it be that this entire world is… a painting?” Meng Hao’s eyes flickered as he stared at the words. Then he took a deep breath and allowed the spiritual energy to flow into him. The instant his fifth Dao Pillar reached ninety-percent completion, a person suddenly appeared up ahead of him!
It was an old man who had the demeanor of a transcendent being. He wore a long, gray robe, and it was impossible to tell exactly how old he was. He was clearly ancient, although was impossible to tell how many countless ages he had lived.
Meng Hao could sense no ripples emanating from the man’s Cultivation base. It seemed as if he were a mortal, not a Cultivator. And yet, considering how ancient he was, how could he possibly be mortal?
The old man looked at Meng Hao, his face calm and filled with unspeakable dignity. It seemed as if even the Heavens would flee from before him.
The old man spoke, his voice cool, “The Heavens are not the Heavens, the Earth is not the Earth. The stars are eternal, and the Dao will always be!” His words floated out gently, much the same as his hair floated gently around his body. “This place does not belong to the Heavens, nor to the Earth. This painting of the World Tree contains endlessly flowing memories. Drink of them, and the great Dao in front of you will lead you to the utmost heights. Select a path upon which to approach me.” Suddenly, nine snaking paths appeared among the twisted leaves of the tree’s crown. They all led toward the old man, who stood only a few hundred meters up ahead.
Each path led to the same destination: the old man.
The old man lifted his hand. There between his fingers was a thumb-sized pearl. “Select a path upon which to approach me, and then take the pearl. Choose wrong, and you must start over.”
The pearl was white, and seemed to contain an entire world within its depths. Looking at it, Meng Hao noticed that it was not round. For some reason, it seemed to be the shape of a cube. It was very bizarre.
Suddenly, Meng Hao could sense the three-colored Resurrection Lily inside of him being suppressed slightly.
“Nine paths. And I have to pick one….” he frowned. By this time, Wang Tengfei and the others were approaching. However, they weren’t able to step onto the treetop. It seemed that there was some invisible force that prevented more than one person from being atop the tree.
Meng Hao thought for a while as he looked over the nine paths. He had no clue how to select a path. He looked at the man up ahead, and then his eyes gleamed. The man was holding the pearl with three fingers! After thinking for another moment, Meng Hao took a deep breath and then walked forward onto the third path.
The instant his foot stepped down on the path, the world seemed to turn upside down. A roaring filled his ears, and everything grew blurry for a moment. When everything became clear, he found that he was now at the very bottom of the tree!
He was only a few hundred meters from the surface of the sea, falling downward. His mind reeled, and he forced himself to a stop. Looking up, he saw Wang Tengfei climbing up onto the top of the tree.
“I chose wrong, so I have to start over….” He frowned. Selecting a path seemed to involve little more than random guessing. How could one pick, other than going through the paths one by one?
Meng Hao muttered to himself for a moment. Then, his eyes flashed as he saw Wang Tengfei falling down from the top of the tree like a shooting star. He, too, had failed, and had to start from the beginning, at the sea beneath the tree.
Meng Hao leaped into action, heading up toward the top of the tree at top speed. In the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he was less than three thousand meters away from the top. During that time, he witnessed over ten Cultivators falling down toward the ocean.
Meanwhile, up in the cloud layer, the Nascent Soul Cultivators watched on with furrowed brows. Having seen everything that happened, they broke into discussions.
“Nine paths. How can one know which path to choose…? It must involve careful observation. The answer doesn’t lie in blind luck, but with that old man!”
“He is not emanating any Cultivation base ripples, and yet emanates a profound air. Perhaps the answer to the riddle is hidden in the words he spoke….”
“No wonder this test requires careful observation. There doesn’t seem to be any clear solution. For the Song Clan Dao Child to have passed the test in two tries really is worthy of admiration.”
Han Bei looked at the scene playing out on the tree. Her eyes shined with interest. After thinking for a moment, she said. “The fourth path from the left!”
Li Daoyi’s eyes flashed. Having heard that the Song Clan Dao Child passed the test in two tries, he felt a sense of competition rising within him. He slowly said, “The fourth path from the right. That path doesn’t look special. But the leaves there are somewhat thicker. Furthermore, the old man seemed to pause slightly after every fourth word he spoke!”
Li Shiqi’s eyes also flickered, but she said nothing. She was lost in thought as she stared at the nine paths.
Song Yunshu’s expression was placid, but in his heart, he sighed. He had succeeded in two tries, but in fact, it had all been a matter of luck. He actually had no idea how he had succeeded.
Patriarch Song Tian laughed but said nothing. Hearing the discussions, he shook his head and fixed his attention to the top of the tree. Meng Hao was nearing it again.
Meng Hao moved quickly, and the three thousand meters whizzed by. The only people left at the top of the tree were Fatty and others from the Golden Frost Sect. Seeing Meng Hao approach, Fatty immediately made way for him.
Meng Hao nodded. Another person up above failed, after which Meng Hao’s body flashed and appeared for a second time on the treetop. By this time, his fifth Dao Pillar was more than ninety percent complete. There wasn’t much spiritual energy left, but Meng Hao was certain it was enough to complete the Dao Pillar.
He took a deep breath as he stood there atop the tree. He gazed at the old man, then recalled his words again as he looked over the paths again. Then, he stepped forward onto the fourth path!
He had made exactly the same choice as Han Bei!
However, the moment he stepped onto it, everything turned upside down, and he was again shooting down toward the sea beneath the tree.
“I’m really starting to dislike this place!” he thought, his eyes filling with both frustration and determination.
All of the Chosen from the various Sects and Clans who had failed once were now making their second attempts. And yet, one after another, they failed, falling downward just like Meng Hao.
Meng Hao went up to try a third time.
By this time, everyone was watching with strange expressions. They were all lost in thought, trying to figure out what they had overlooked. Which path was correct?
More discussions broke out among the Nascent Soul Cultivators.
“This place is very mysterious. These kids have all had two chances each, and between the lot of them, have tried every one of the nine paths.”
“Clearly, the correct path changes. The route is not fixed. It seems that luck does have quite a bit of a role.”
Han Bei frowned, continuing to look on. She was now starting to form another opinion on which path was the correct one.
“There’s no need to get anxious, friends,” said Patriarch Song Tian. He laughed. “To find the correct path, each person most observe matters carefully. It will all depend on their Dao Heart.”
Atop the massive tree beneath the cloud vortex, Meng Hao shot back upward. He was currently about nine thousand meters from the top of the tree when suddenly his Dao Pillar reached the point where it was only a sliver away from being completed. The same phenomenon that had appeared in the Xiao Clan, once again began to occur.
His body immediately began to wither. Thankfully, there was plenty of spiritual energy in this place. The unbridled gravitational power of the Dao Pillar began to absorb all of the spiritual energy, no matter how far away it was. Each and every bit of it rushed toward Meng Hao.
His face was ruddy as he felt his Cultivation base climbing upward. He shot upward, and was soon only three thousand meters from the top. His mind began to reel.
A booming sound could be heard, and Meng Hao’s face flickered as suddenly, a golden light began to collect inside of him. His Cultivation base started rotating, causing the light to shine outward. It seemed as if it wished to eclipse the World Tree!
Amidst the golden glow, streams of magical symbols appeared. They were indistinct, but the instant they appeared, they caused the entire world to be filled with a golden color.
Up above, looks of disbelief appeared on the faces of the Nascent Soul Cultivators. One by one, they stood up. “That’s….”
“The Sublime Spirit Scripture!” said one of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators breathlessly.
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PREVIOUS CHAPTER
Novel 196 : I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
Chapter 196: Followed by All Eyes
Chapter 196: Followed by All Eyes
Meng Hao was aware of all of this, of course. His expression was the same as ever and he ignored everyone else. He paused at each layer to absorb as much spiritual energy as possible, and then continued to climb upward.
Several meters behind him were all the other Cultivators. They eyed Meng Hao helplessly, waiting for him to move onward before doing so themselves.
Each and every pair of eyes inside this world was watching Meng Hao. He was the focus of all attention.
The Song Clan’s competition in search of a son-in-law had turned into Meng Hao’s stepping stone. Regardless of whether Meng Hao was the winner or not, he had already left a deep impression on Song Jia. That, coupled with the events which had happened before the banquet began, caused her to ignore everyone else and focus solely on Meng Hao.
Perhaps it was fate; after today, the five Clans and three Sects would know that Meng Hao was also Chosen!
Perhaps it was fate; after today, stories of scholar Meng Hao of the State of Zhao would spread throughout the entire Southern Domain. There was now one more amongst the ranks of the Chosen!
Also fated was that previously unknown Meng Hao would be the complete center of attention. More and more Cultivators would hear of him and especially… the matter of him and Chu Yuyan. Rumors would spread like wildfire throughout the entirety of the Southern Domain.
Meng Hao would become the object of jealousy of countless male Cultivators. Of course he would also attract the notice of many female Cultivators. He was now the subject of a huge scandal involving one of the four most beautiful women in the Southern Domain. Everyone was paying attention to him now.
At the same time, anyone who hadn’t heard about Meng Hao’s dealings with the Violet Fate Sect back in the State of Zhao, would surely know about it now. Meng Hao’s name would only become more and more well known.
In actuality, if people knew about the feud between the Black Sieve Sect and Meng Hao, or how he had taken the Blood Immortal Legacy, then he would instantly become the most famous Cultivator in all of the Southern Domain. After all, he could now sweep across Chosen and push down Dao Children.
Today was only the first sign of what was to come, though. This was Meng Hao cutting into the Southern Domain! [1. In case you forgot, this is the title of Book 2]
Time passed. Meng Hao, his expression the same as always, continued onward slowly. Behind him, many of the Cultivators were growing impatient. A young man from the Violet Fate Sect looked at Meng Hao slowly absorbing spiritual energy, and frowned. Unable to accept the situation any longer, he shot forward.
He slapped his bag of holding, and immediately, eight talismans appeared to circle around him. A bright glow appeared, some sort of protective spell. With a triumphant cry, he charged onward, passing Meng Hao and entering the next layer beyond.
The Violet Fate Sect Nascent Soul Cultivator coolly mentioned, “This is a Chosen of the Violet Fate Sect, Liu Gao. His Cultivation base is beyond ordinary. His eight talismans treasure can reduce any force of pressure by eighty percent.” Even as the words left his mouth, his face suddenly grew unsightly.
As soon as Liu Gao passed Meng Hao and entered the next area, his body began to shake. His face tightened, and blood sprayed from his mouth. His body trembled as if it were under attack. Everyone watched as he howled and tried to endure. Meng Hao cleared his throat. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, looking up and waiting.
After the space of a few breaths, the Violet Fate Sect disciple coughed up more blood. One by one, his eight talismans disintegrated. With a miserable scream, he fell down into the sea below. He emerged moments later, pale faced, and began to climb again. It didn’t take him long to rejoin the group of people below Meng Hao, where he stared upward with fear and respect.
Everyone looked thoughtfully at Meng Hao, who once again cleared his throat and moved upward, absorbing spiritual energy along the way.
No one dared to attempt to pass him. They could only follow helplessly. Time passed as Meng Hao proceeded through the layers. By now, his fifth Dao Pillar was about seventy percent complete.
The further he progressed, the more spiritual energy he needed. Before long, Meng Hao was roughly three thousand meters from the apex of the enormous tree.
Wang Tengfei’s eyes flashed, and though Wang Youcai said nothing, his eyes shined brightly. A look of anticipation covered Fatty’s face. He had no thoughts of trying to pass Meng Hao, but was very much looking forward to seeing what happened when Meng Hao reached the top.
It wasn’t just the Cultivators whose eyes glittered; up in the cloud layer, the eccentrics from the five Sects and three Clans, as well as all the Song Clan members, were all focused on Meng Hao. Although his participation in the Song Clan search for a son-in-law had been unexpected, a critical moment was approaching. Everyone watched on with keen anticipation.
With a smile, Song Tian said, “At the top of the tree, there is a final test. Of the heroes of the various Sects and Clans, it’s hard to say which one… will be able to pass the final test.”
One of the Nascent Soul Cultivators laughed and said, “I had heard that part of the tradition of your Song Clan search for a son-in-law involves a difficult test. I’m very curious as to the nature of this test. Elder Song, would you mind explaining a bit about it?”
“That’s right,” said the Golden Frost Sect’s Nascent Soul Cultivator. “I’ve also heard such things. Elder Song, would you mind telling us some about it? We’re all very curious.”
Everyone seemed very interested in hearing about the final test.
Song Clan Patriarch Song Tian laughed loudly. Then, he looked at the middle-aged man who sat at his right hand. “Muqiu, we are searching for a husband for your daughter. Why don’t you explain the final test?”
The middle-aged man was handsome and dashing. Hearing the words of the Patriarch, he clasped his hands respectfully and then looked at the group of people, eyes flashing like lightning. Then he glanced at Song Jia, and a warm, loving expression filled his face.
His voice cool, Song Muqiu said, “The final test in our search for a son-in-law is a bit different than the tests in previous generations. This is a test of a Cultivator’s Dao Heart!”
The Nascent Soul Cultivators frowned.
Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect frowned and took a drink of alcohol. “Matters of Dao Hearts aren’t even clear to us, let alone these Foundation Establishment pups.”
“That is why this test is special,” replied Song Muqiu. “Elder Fan is correct, Dao Hearts are mysterious and unfathomable. Actually, the Song Clan believes that one of the most important aspects of the Dao Heart is determined by personality and behavior. The combination of the two, as well as a person’s stubborness… that is the Dao Heart. Therefore, although today’s test is not conclusive, it will give us some inkling of what will be. Actually, as it relates to Dao Hearts, this test is actually a choice!” Having said this much, Song Muqiu closed his mouth and declined to comment further.
Everyone else sank into deep thought. As for Song Jia, she continued to watch Meng Hao within the cloud vortex, very curious as to what choice he would make during the final test….
Song Yunshu’s eyes flickered as he calmly watched the cloud vortex. He was Dao Child of the Song Clan, and yet, as he watched Meng Hao, an uneasy feeling welled up in his heart. He was used to concealing his emotions, though. His exterior was calm. But he was extremely curious to see what choice Meng Hao would make.
“As Dao Child of the Song Clan, I was able to take the test myself ahead of time. My choice….” Song Yunshu was lost in thought. He had only succeeded on his second try. Succeeding in such a fashion had earned him the praise of Patriarch Song Tian.
With a smile, Patriarch Song Tian said, “Muqiu makes it sound very complicated. The final test is a choice, and also a test of observation. I should make clear that the Dao Child of our Song Clan succeeded on his second attempt.” He glanced at Song Yuncai with a look of praise.
This caused everyone to grow even more curious. They all looked back down, waiting for Meng Hao to break through. They also peered at the group of Cultivators behind him, all of whom were waiting for their chance to spring forward.
Meng Hao began to move faster and faster. His fifth Dao Pillar was now eighty percent complete, and he now needed even more spiritual energy than before. Remembering the horrific scene that had accompanied the completion of his last Dao Pillar, Meng Hao wanted to be certain there was enough spiritual energy in this place before he reached the point of no return.
Otherwise, when the critical juncture arrived, then he would have no choice but to consume the other Cultivators. That was a path that Meng Hao refused to tread.
Cautiously, but quickly, he absorbed the spiritual energy. He proceeded, leaving behind some of the spiritual energy and moving on to the next layer. He was rapidly approaching the top of the tree. Because he had left behind some spiritual energy, the Cultivators behind him suddenly encountered the resisting pressure, and had no choice but to slow down.
They trudged on desperately. However, there was now more and more distance between them and Meng Hao. Wang Tengfei’s eyes were completely red. He pursued madly.
Meng Hao was now only fifteen hundred meters from the top of the tree.
One thousand meters. Five hundred meters. Two hundred fifty meters…. One hundred fifty. Fifty…. Meng Hao leaped up, surpassing the final gap to stand on top of the tree.
At this moment, all eyes were upon him!
PREVIOUS CHAPTER
Novel 195 : I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
Chapter 195: Suppressing Everyone
Chapter 195: Suppressing Everyone
The chance Meng Hao had now was sudden and unexpected. Thanks to this lucky break, his Cultivation base was climbing upward at incredible speed. Furthermore, the closer he got to the tree, the thicker the spiritual energy became.
He took a deep breath, completely ignoring the strange looks everyone was giving him. He was completely focused on the enormous tree and the bizarre spiritual energy it emitted that only he could absorb.
It had been a long time since he had been able to enjoy the refreshing feeling of absorbing spiritual energy. His eyes glistened brightly as his body flashed onward.
The spiritual energy beneath the tree roiled madly. His body was like a whirling black hole, sucking all the spiritual energy in, without exception.
His Cultivation base continued to climb, and the image of his fifth Dao Pillar grew clearer. Soon it would no longer be illusory.
Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent….
Meng Hao grew more and more excited as he absorbed the increasingly thick spiritual energy. He leaped forward, heading directly toward the base of the enormous tree.
Next to the towering tree, Meng Hao was little more than an insect, tiny and weak. It was essentially impossible to even compare. They were as different as a firefly and the shining moon.
Meng Hao was the first to step into the tree itself. The other Cultivators closed in. Within the space of about ten breaths, Wang Tengfei and Wang Youcai also stepped onto it.
They, of course, could not absorb the spiritual energy of this place, and therefore had no way to replenish themselves. There is no need to even mention how difficult it was for them to proceed forward. On the other hand, Meng Hao was like a fish in water. In an instant, he was already three hundred meters away from them.
After observing this, the eyes of the spectators shone with a strange glow. This was especially true of the Song Clan Patriarch. His eyes glittered brightly as he watched the cloud vortex, and Meng Hao.
“So he can absorb the spiritual energy there….” he thought. “But that place is merely a painting of the World Tree. It couldn’t even be considered a projected image. However, it does contain some of the World Tree’s will, as well as dense spiritual energy, although not much….” His eyes glittered, although they contained some amount of hesitation.
Eccentric Song too felt shocked, but was also about to go wild with joy. A wide smile emerged on his face. He looked at the shifting expressions of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators and smiled even wider. He flicked his sleeve to collect the Soul Fruits together.
“Fellow Daoists, I shall collect my winnings. Do you wish to make another wager? I bet this kid will become the next son-in-law of the Song Clan. What do you say? Wager, or no wager?”
The other Nascent Soul Cultivators ignored him, refusing to be provoked, and instead focused on what was happening in the cloud vortex. They gazed thoughtfully as Meng Hao ascended the gigantic tree.
Eccentric Song continued to prod a few more times, but seeing that the others refused to speak, he simply put away the Soul Fruits and laughed. The ill feelings toward Meng Hao from years ago were now completely gone.
“This Meng Hao kid isn’t bad,” said Eccentric Song, eyeing the cloud vortex. “Ai, if I had known he was like this, I would have bet on him against Wu Dingqiu all those years ago.”
Within the cloud vortex, Wang Tengfei’s eyes were red. He was on the tree now, proceeding up. The spiritual energy in the area pushed against him, and he had no way to absorb it whatsoever. The wind whipped about, but he forged on without regard to caution. He knew that if he were knocked off the tree, then he would have to start over from the very bottom.
Making progress was incredibly difficult, but every time he looked up and saw Meng Hao speeding along, it would cause him to ignore the screaming wind and intense pressure. Insanity and intense jealousy filled his heart, and he would proceed onward through the thick pressure.
“How could I possibly lose to him!?!?” he raged inwardly. “I am a Wang Clan Chosen! He stole my legacy and my beloved! Today, I shall wrest away his good fortune. Why are you always so unfair to Wang Tengfei, Heavens?! I refuse! I will not give in!!” Setting his teeth, he shot upward. The wild wind buffeted him, but he held doggedly onto the tree. It felt as if his arms were about to rip off.
To his astonishment, Wang Tengfei suddenly realized that the unabsorbable spiritual energy of this place, which exhibited such strong pressure, was actually lessening around Meng Hao. The closer he got to Meng Hao, the easier it was to progress.
Behind him, Wang Youcai, Qian Shuihen, Lu Song as well as Fatty and the others, had all reached the tree, and were relentlessly pursuing.
All of them noticed Meng Hao’s significant increase in speed.
Meng Hao had already sensed that although the spiritual energy in this place seemed thick and abundant, actually, the entire place was divided into different areas. The spiritual energy of the area he was currently in was almost sucked dry. Because of that, Wang Tengfei and the others were able to move more quickly.
However, although the spiritual energy below him was decreasing, he continued moving upward. Soon, he encountered more dense spiritual energy, which he began to absorb immediately. His fifth Dao Pillar was already about forty percent complete.
“The spiritual energy here is organized in layers,” he thought, his eyes shining brilliantly. “Each layer can be completely absorbed into my body. Although it looks incredibly dense, there’s actually not very much of it. However, if I absorb all of it, I should be able to complete my fifth Dao Pillar.” He continued onward, and the spiritual energy continued to pour into him. Whenever it began to grow thin, he would continue on upward to a new layer.
Behind him, Wang Tengfei and the others were continuing to increase their speed. The spiritual energy having dried up, the resisting pressure was gone. The only thing they had to deal with was the raging wind. Their progress now was much easier, so the gap between Meng Hao and them was slowly lessening.
The enormous tree was many dozens of meters in diameter, and from a distance, didn’t seem very far away from the cloud layer above, where the Nascent Soul Cultivators watched the proceedings. Seeing what was happening caused them to sit there quietly in contemplation. The Wang Clan Cultivator let out a cold harrumph. “Eccentric Song, let’s make another bet. This time, the stakes are two Soul Fruits!”
Eccentric Song hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowed.
The Black Sieve Sect Nascent Soul Cultivator coughed lightly. “I’m in,” he said.
The Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Li Clan chimed in. “So, another bet,” he said coolly. “Eccentric Song, why don’t we all join in? Two Soul Fruits per person. Winner takes all.” His words made Eccentric Song even more hesitant.
After a long moment passed, he gritted his teeth. He actually had incredible faith in Meng Hao’s ability to perform, so he flicked his sleeve.
“We’re on!” he said.
Subsequently, all of the Nascent Soul eccentrics produced Soul Fruits. Seeing so many in one placed caused all of the Cultivators to palpitate with eagerness. The stakes of this wager were significantly greater than the previous bet.
At the same time as all the eccentrics made their bets, Meng Hao shot up at top speed. He had passed through three layers of the enormous tree, and had now progressed roughly thirty percent up. By now, Wang Tengfei and the others were a mere thirty meters behind him. It seemed they might soon pass him.
Meng Hao’s face was calm. The good fortune of this place lay in the spiritual energy; as far as he was concerned, it didn’t matter who was in first place. Suddenly, Wang Tengfei roared. Employing some unknown magical technique, his body began to glow, and he shot up with incredible, explosive speed. In the space of a few breaths, he had progressed more than thirty meters. This caused him to pass Meng Hao by nearly ten meters.
However, before he even had a chance to rejoice, an enormous force caused his body to tremble. The pressure caused him to cough up blood as it enveloped his body. Just then, Meng Hao passed him, sucking the spiritual energy of the area into his body. The pressure began to subside. If it hadn’t, Wang Tengfei felt as if he might have been crushed down into the tree by a giant, invisible hand.
Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever as he proceeded onward, ignoring Wang Tengfei. He passed the area that was covered with the blood Wang Tengfei had coughed up, continuing to absorb the spiritual energy. After absorbing all of it, he moved onto the next layer.
Clearly, anyone who wanted to try to pass Meng Hao could do so by merely charging forward.
However, seeing what happened to Wang Tengfei shook the hearts of all the Cultivators below. They stared at Meng Hao with strange expressions. As for Fatty, he took a deep breath, and looked completely disbelieving.
As of this moment, none of the pursuing Cultivators dared to pass Meng Hao….
Meng Hao continued on slowly, which gave them no other option than to do the same. Looking embarrassed and helpless, they followed Meng Hao. Clearly, many of them had various plans in mind. They would wait until the very top of the tree, whereupon various techniques would explode out as they attempted to pass him!
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PREVIOUS CHAPTER
Novel 194 : I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
Chapter 194: Will of the World Tree
Chapter 194: Will of the World Tree [1. The World Tree was mentioned in a few previous chapters, including Chapter 109, Chapter 158, and Chapter 160]
It was impossible to fly very high in this place, because the wind speed increased with altitude. Meng Hao saw one Black Sieve Sect disciple who tried to fly up directly toward the top of the tree. Before he got too high, he screamed, and his body disappeared into a haze of blood and flesh.
The wind continued to pick up. It seemed as if it were filled with sharp blades, as well as a hard-to-describe pressure that made the three thousand meter area around the tree seem like a wall.
When Meng Hao entered the area, he felt the intense pressure pushing against him. The closer he got to the tree, the thicker the spiritual energy got. Of course, he could absorb it, and the closer he got, the more quickly he did so. His eyes shone brightly.
“Moving forward must be very difficult for everyone else, but for me, this place is like a holy land of Cultivation!” He looked up at the enormous tree in front of him, which stretched thousands of meters up into the sky. “Just exactly… what kind of tree is this?” He could sense that the spiritual energy in the place was not the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, but rather, produced by the gigantic tree.
As all the Cultivators struggled their way toward the tree, up above the clouds in the sky, the members of the five Sects and three Clans watched on through the cloud vortex, eyes glittering.
They could see everything quite clearly.
Song Tian smiled. “Of all the heroes and Chosen of the various Sects and Clans that have come today, I wonder who will be the first to reach the tree?” The Nascent Soul eccentrics from the Sects and Clans all smiled.
“I’m afraid it’s difficult to say. I never imagined that that Song Clan’s search for a son-in-law would involve this treasured painting….”
“This tree must have been summoned by a will shard from the ancient World Tree. It was clearly painted by the ancient Daoist Grandmaster Shui Dongliu [1. Shui Dongliu’s name in Chinese is 水东流 shuǐ dōng liú - This is a somewhat odd name. Shui is a Chinese surname, which also means “water.” Dong means “east.” Liu means “flow.” So literally his name means “water flows east”] when he gained enlightenment at the legendary location in which the World Tree destroyed itself. It is said that with sufficient enlightenment, the tree itself can be summoned. This is truly a precious treasure capable of summoning that which is ancient.”
Han Bei sat off to the side, observing the Nascent Soul Cultivators and their discussion. She looked for a moment at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex. Her face was calm, giving not even the slightest clue as to what she was thinking.
Li Shiqi stared at the tree created by the will shard of the World Tree, lost in thought.
The Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect was a middle-aged man. “The World Tree’s will shard is capable of releasing the legendary ancient Heaven-replacing spiritual energy,” he said. “Unfortunately, it is useless to Cultivators, and will only be an obstacle to them. However, with a suitable Cultivation base, and sufficient enlightenment, the World Tree could be placed in that world. What a truly precious treasure! Eventually, it could be possible for this treasure to help these disciples make a breakthrough in their Cultivation base.” As he gazed at the cloud vortex, his gaze lingered on Meng Hao.
He had noticed Meng Hao some time ago, of course, but had maintained his silence and done nothing.
“This tree is indeed a will shard of the World Tree. The painting is entitled Ancient Will of the World Tree. It was gifted to me by the Eighth Sea Lord of the Milky Way Sea when I was one thousand years old. I brought it out today for the purpose of helping these members of the younger generation gain enlightenment of ancient times, as well as to benefit all of you. This painting will not belong to me much longer.” Song Tian laughed, shaking his head. “I intend to give this painting as a gift to whoever is the next son-in-law of this generation of the Song Clan.”
This caused the other Nascent Soul Cultivators to stare wordlessly at the cloud vortex, their eyes shining brightly.
Suddenly, Eccentric Song, who sat several places down, laughed and said, “Patriarch, would it be appropriate for me to have a little wager with these Fellow Daoists in regards to who will reach the tree first?”
Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect laughed heartily. He took a swig of alcohol and jeeringly said, “All of us will naturally bet on our own Sect’s disciples. Elder Song, who will you bet on?”
“I bet on HIM!” said Eccentric Song, lifting his arm and pointing toward the cloud vortex at…
Meng Hao!
All of the Nascent Soul Cultivators followed the line created by Eccentric Song’s fingers to look at Meng Hao. The eyes of the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect sparkled.
The Wang Clan Nascent Soul Cultivator frowned.
Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect laughed and gave Eccentric Song a meaningful look.
“Excellent, what are the stakes?” said the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Blood Demon Sect, a withered old woman with a full head of silver hair. Her voice was raspy, like bones rubbing together. She smiled hypocritically.
“I put up this Soul Fruit!” he said. He flicked his sleeve and pressed his fingers down onto his forehead. After the space of a few breaths, the illusory image of a small, cross-legged figure emerged.
In the blink of an eye, the small figure coalesced into an object that looked like a Spirit Fruit. It emitted a delicate fragrance.
This was none other than a Soul Fruit, something that Nascent Soul Cultivators could congeal into being from their Nascent Soul, and could compare to precious materials. Heaven and earth could produce Spirit Fruits, but to Nascent Soul Cultivators, their bodies were their own Heaven and Earth, and could naturally produce such fruits.
Soul Fruits are like good fortune from Heaven and Earth, and are the most precious treasures of Nascent Soul Cultivators.
Soul Fruits from others have replenishing powers, and to Nascent Soul Cultivators, are the most optimal source of healing and restoration.
Hearing Eccentric Song’s words caused thoughtful expressions to appear on the faces of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators. Not much time passed before all of them coalesced Soul Fruits of their own. Soon, eight of them hovered together in mid-air.
Eight Soul Fruits. To any Nascent Soul Cultivator, such stakes would be incredibly tempting. All of the Cultivators pretended not to be moved, but inwardly, they shook with excitement. They gazed through the cloud vortex at the various disciples.
Song Tian smiled and did nothing to prevent the proceedings. Of the two men sitting next to him, one was meditating with eyes closed, the other was closely watching the Cultivators in the cloud vortex, his face grim.
The Song Clan Dao Child, Song Yunshu sat calmly near Patriarch Song Tian. He said nothing, just smiled. Within his eyes flickered an intense light.
Eccentric Song seemed enlivened. His eyes shone as he gazed at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex.
“Alright, boy,” he thought, “I want to see the same skills you used that day in the State of Zhao. If you win, I’ll gift you with one of these Soul Fruits as a reward.” Because of what had happened in the State of Zhao, as well as various rumors he had heard in the Song Clan, Eccentric Song keenly anticipated Meng Hao’s performance.
As the people above placed their bets, the dozens of Cultivators down by the enormous tree continued to forge ahead. Because of the pressure pushing against them, they couldn’t move very quickly. But they continued forward nonetheless.
At the moment, the fastest of the group was Wang Tengfei. His eyes were red, and he moved forward recklessly. To him this was his only chance. If he joined the Song Clan, then he could start everything anew, and begin a new rise to prominence.
“Chu Yuyan, you slut. And you, Meng Hao! Just wait for me!” He ground his teeth as he pushed forward a few dozen meters.
After Wang Tengfei was Wang Youcai, who approached quietly. Behind him was a group of Cultivators including Chen Fan, who had taken the lead among them.
Fatty, with his entourage of protectors, moved along neither quickly nor slowly.
Meng Hao was obviously a bit behind. However, his expression was calm as he proceeded forward. Every so often, he would pause and cautiously suck in a bit of the thick spiritual energy around him.
Soon, an hour had passed. Wang Tengfei was only about thirty meters from the tree. Wang Youcai was roughly sixty meters away. Everyone else was about three hundred meters or closer. Up above in the clouds, Eccentric Song was getting nervous. Around him, the other Nascent Soul Cultivators began to smile.
Three hundred meters away, Meng Hao took a deep breath. He had been carefully absorbing spiritual energy the entire way. The effect was the same as consuming a handful of Sieve Earth Pills. Despite his caution, he was able to absorb more and more spiritual energy. Meng Hao’s eyes suddenly glittered.
“This is a rare opportunity,” he thought. “I might as well absorb all of it!” Determination filling his eyes he began to move forward. In that instant, a tremor ran through his body as he ceased to repress his four Perfect Dao Pillars. They began to rotate, and a buzzing sound echoed out within him. A massive vortex appeared around him.
The vortex instantly caused the surrounding spiritual energy to shoot toward him.
The water beneath him was whipped into a fury, and Meng Hao’s very body seemed to distort and grow blurry. Mysterious spiritual energy screamed into him, and his speed suddenly increased dramatically.
It wasn’t that he was aiming to increase his speed. However, as he moved forward, the spiritual energy grew more and more abundant. In the blink of an eye, he was not three hundred meters away from the tree, but two hundred fifty, then two hundred….
Meng Hao’s Cultivation base was gradually increasing. The outline of his fifth Dao Pillar was now completely visible and rapidly congealing.
Meng Hao started to get excited. He took a deep breath and moved forward even faster. Considering he had decided to recklessly absorb the spiritual energy, there was no reason not to absorb all of it.
This was Meng Hao’s personality. Even when he was a scholar, he had been like this. It was simply how he lived. Normally, he didn’t like to cause a scene. But sometimes causing a scene was unavoidable. When it happened, he would go all out.
His fifth Dao Pillar coalesced and his Cultivation base continued to climb. His eyes began to glow brightly, and his aura grew more and more powerful!
In the space of a few breaths, he had rocketed forward until he was only ninety meters from the tree. His sudden blazing speed was too incredible, as was his absorption of the spiritual energy. The surrounding Cultivators noticed immediately.
They saw the fear-inspiring vortex which surrounded him, and could sense him absorbing the thick spiritual energy which had been blocking them. It shot toward him at incredible speed, sending ripples throughout the entire world.
“What’s he doing….?”
“He’s… he’s absorbing the spiritual energy? That’s impossible!”
“How… how can he be doing that?”
The surrounding Cultivators looked at him with shock.
It wasn’t just them. Up in the clouds, all of the onlookers were watching the scene, their hearts filled with astonishment.
“He’s swallowing up the ancient spiritual energy!”
“What is he? What kind of Cultivation technique does he use to be able to do that!”
The eyes of the Nascent Soul Cultivators glittered like lightning as they watched Meng Hao. They were shocked to the core, never having imagined that they would see something like this.
Interestingly, even though they were Nascent Soul Cultivators who should easily be able to see a person’s Cultivation base, Meng Hao’s Dao Pillars were currently obscured from their vision.
It was as if some bizarre force were interfering, making it impossible for them to pick up even the slightest clue. The middle-aged man from the Black Sieve Sect watched thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed. He had noticed this strange obscuration of Meng Hao’s Dao Pillars even before he entered the cloud vortex.
As the alarmed Nascent Soul Cultivators watched Meng Hao’s advancement, the Song Clan Patriarch Song Tian looked at him, his eyes glowing brightly. In fact, his eyes hadn’t left Meng Hao from the beginning.
He stared wordlessly at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex, eyes flickering with surprise.
Eccentric Song laughed loudly. He also found the scene to be unbelievable, but on the other hand was incredibly happy. As his laughter rang out, Han Bei sucked in a deep breath, thinking about how Meng Hao had been able to enter the square cauldron even though the name Meng did not exist in the Nine Great Families.
Li Shiqi’s phoenix-like eyes flashed as she watched Meng Hao thoughtfully.
Down by the enormous tree, the spiritual energy roiled, causing the wild wind to grow in intensity. The wind buffeted Wang Tengfei, causing him to spin backward from thirty meters to about one hundred and twenty-five meters!
The others were blown back as well. With this reversal, Meng Hao was now the closest person to the tree, being only ninety meters away.
Wang Tengfei raised his head up and howled. He couldn’t accept such a situation. He pushed forward with all his strength. However, at that same time, Meng Hao took a deep breath and also pushed forward. He moved forward about thirty meters, and then another thirty!
In two short bursts, he was now only thirty meters away from the tree. Compared to the tree, he was like a cricket. The vortex around him swirled, causing the boundless spiritual energy in the area to suck toward him. The full shape of his fifth Dao Pillar was now visible. If he continued at this rate, he would most likely be able to complete it.
When he formed his fifth Perfect Dao Pillar, Meng Hao would definitely be… the most powerful person in the Foundation Establishment stage.
Whether it be Chosen or Dao Children, the entire Foundation Establishment stage would be like dry weeds that could be crushed beneath his feet!
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Novel 193 : I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
I Shall Seal the Heavens
Chapter 193: The Flower Blooms at Dawn!
Chapter 193: The Flower Blooms at Dawn!
Above the sea and the enormous tree, was the endlessly roiling cloud vortex. Above the cloud vortex was the banquet set by the Song Clan in search of a son-in-law.
Currently the Song Clan Patriarch’s voice was ringing out across the sea, and the invisible woman had vanished. Deep within the recesses of the Song Clan mountains was where their Dao Reserves were located.
The corpse, composed of half a body, emitted a mysterious glow from its eyes. Hesitation flickered within the glow.
“Just… just who was she? She seems to have the spirit of an Immortal, but yet is not qualified to be one…. She was looking toward that young man Meng Hao with deep love and affection. However, the object of her gaze was not Meng Hao, but… that Resurrection Lily inside of him!
“She said that he would come before them, and would understand everything. Why did those simple words cause my hair to stand on end….” The old man’s eyes emanated an archaic light, and he sank into thoughtfulness. “She said that if he failed, she would wait for him to be reincarnated in the yellow springs of the underworld. How very logical. It seems she’s accustomed to such things…. This is not something a Cultivator can do. There is no reincarnation in Cultivation. For a Cultivator to attempt to reincarnate is useless. Otherwise, why would the Rebirth Cave have appeared?
“Rebirth is possible, which means the ability to live another life. However, there is no such thing as reincarnation. In terms of reincarnation, this is only possible for… the legendary Resurrection Lily! The Resurrection Lily merges with a person as a form of reincarnation. This is why it’s called a Resurrection Lily! Once the flower merges with a person, the person disappears, but the flower remains. However, things are never so absolute in this world. If the Resurrection Lily were to be tamed and consumed, Seven Colored Immortal Ascension is possible!”
This Song Clan Patriarch who had just recently revealed himself to the rest of the Song Clan suddenly flew up into the air. His eyes glittered as the indistinct image of the lower half of his body appeared. His hair whipped around his head as he kneeled atop the pillar.
“Immortal, your origin is full of mystery. The Song Clan has watched over the Southern Domain for generation after generation. Immortal, I beg you to clear up my confusion!” He bit down on his tongue and spit up some blood from his heart. The blood flew out and instantly disappeared. However, the Sun-Moon treasure in the sky above the Song Clan suddenly flickered, and a glow appeared that no outsider would be able to notice. It shot down through the mountains until it was directly in front of the old man.
It transformed into a partially transparent figure. It was impossible to tell whether it was male or female. It was blurry as if it were both there, and not there….
When the old corpse caught sight of the figure, an expression of veneration appeared on his face. He knew that this was the Spirit of the Clan treasure. This Spirit… was also an ancient Patriarch of the Song Clan. According to legend, after achieving Immortality, he had left behind a fragment of his Spirit here.
The figure lifted its hand and gently tapped the top of the old man’s head.
The man’s body trembled, and suddenly his eyes shone with disbelief. He looked up and watched as the illusory figure slowly disappeared. It was as if it had never been there.
The old corpse took a deep breath. “The flower blooms at dawn, and achieves Immortality on the day of vicissitude. The mother of the Resurrection Lily… the Dawn Immortal…. [1. The Dawn Immortal was mentioned before in multiple previous chapters: Chapter 83: Patriarch, What About Disciple’s Poison…?, Chapter 88: Lord Revelation’s True Self, Chapter 94: You Really Want Me To Come Out?, Chapter 95: A Rain Shower, a Cold Spell, and Chapter 117: A Tiny Little Punishment] This Meng Hao is too dangerous….” He was silent in thought for a moment. However, he gave no orders, nor did he do anything to reverse the words he had been forced to transmit earlier by the woman.
Meanwhile, in the roaring ocean beneath the cloud vortex, the wind screamed. The Cultivators who had entered this place numbered in the dozens. They circled the region of the enormous tree.
Whoever could break through the massive winds and actually reach the tree itself, would snatch the first place position in the race.
To be able to earn a place within the Song Clan would earn the right to practice Cultivation within the profound Clan regions. Almost all of the Cultivators present thirsted for such an opportunity. That was why they were here, and that was what they were fighting for.
Meng Hao, on the other hand, was not here for any supposed chance to marry into the Song Clan. Although this place was incredibly suitable for Cultivation, he wasn’t the type to be inclined to depend on others. Unless he had an important purpose, he preferred to be like the sea and the sky, free to roam as he wished, alone.
For a man to roam under the heavens, enjoy the scenery, observe the beauty of the earth and the animals… that was what life meant to Meng Hao. His eyes glittered as he looked up at the massive tree in the distance. At its vast top existed a pearl.
The others didn’t value the pearl itself, but rather, what it represented. Only Meng Hao cared about the former! Were it not for the pearl, Meng Hao wouldn’t even be here.
“I hope that pearl can dispel my poison. If it can, I won’t have to go through all the trouble of infiltrating the Violet Fate Sect.”
Meng Hao’s eyes flickered, and his heart trembled as he shot forward. He narrowed his eyes and stopped flying for a moment.
“So, I can absorb spiritual energy in this place too. Furthermore, it’s even more dense here than outside. What big secret does the Song Clan have? How come the spiritual energy here is like that in the Blood Immortal Legacy zone? Why can I absorb it?” His eyes filled with thought, he once again shot forward at high speed. At the same time, he rotated his Cultivation base. His four Perfect Dao Pillars hummed, and his body became like a black hole. Immediately, the spiritual energy in the area began to rush toward him.
Meng Hao didn’t suck it in with unbridled speed, but cautiously, gradually.
Off in the distance, Wang Tengfei’s face was grim, his heart filled with bitterness and even a bit of insanity. Ever since he was young, he had been Chosen. Because of the blood of the Flying Rain Dragon which had fallen from the heavens, his path had been set as he grew up. It seemed he always had the same type of good fortune.
However… thanks to his brother Wang Lihai, he hadn’t been able to become a Dao Child of the Wang Clan. All the focus gradually drifted further and further away from him. In fact, for his entire childhood, he had lived within the shadow of his brother.
He wanted to resist, to fight back. He wanted to exceed his brother. He wanted to prove that he was worthy to be Dao Child of the Wang Clan. Because of that, he had left the Clan and gone to the State of Zhao in search of the Flawless Foundation.
He knew that if he stayed in the Wang Clan, it would be difficult to rise to prominence.
Filled with idealism and aspiration, he went to the State of Zhao to find the Flawless Foundation and the legacy of the Flying Rain-Dragon. His plan was to return from the State of Zhao and then challenge his brother to battle.
However, everything had been ruined by Meng Hao. He had been defeated. Utterly and thoroughly. But he refused to give up. Thanks to Wang Xifan’s encouragement, and the support of Chu Yuyan, he had emerged from the shadows with his poison finger.
In fact, it was only with the help of Chu Yuyan that he had achieved the Cracked Foundation that he had. When he had witnessed his brother die in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament, it had suddenly felt as if the future were wide open. His extreme misfortune would finally give birth to a meteoric rise.
At that time, he believed that Wang Tengfei’s life would finally be restored.
Except… subsequent events caught him completely unawares. To his astonishment, he found that Wang Lihai was not dead. The Wang Lihai that died in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament was in fact a Dao Clone created by a Wang Clan patriarch.
Subsequently, the rumours of Chu Yuyan and the strange man spread like wildfire. It was something he simply could not tolerate. Yet even more unbelievable was how when he asked Chu Yuyan about it, she wouldn’t respond.
It would be bad enough if that were all that he suffered. He could grit his teeth and endure. However, it was here in the Song Clan that he discovered the man who had been seen with Chu Yuyan was actually Meng Hao!
That had driven him crazy. He had gone all out in order to kill Meng Hao. However, that battle became the straw that broke the camel’s back. That straw, that crushing defeat at the hands of Meng Hao, caused Wang Tengfei to laugh bitterly. His thinking, his temperament, his everything, all twisted and changed in that moment.
It pushed him toward the edge of insanity.
“I can do without the Wang Clan,” he thought, his eyes filled with veins of blood, “and I can also cut off Chu Yuyan. I, Wang Tengfei, will tread my own path. I will take everything away from Meng Hao. I will snatch it all back!!” His body trembled with crazed fervor as he shot through the wind toward the tree.
Fatty plugged his nose against the wind as he floated in mid-air. Seven or eight Golden Frost Sect disciples formed a protective ring around him.
“The Sect Lord prohibited me from marrying into the Song Clan. But, I figured I would give it a shot anyway,” he said. He popped a Spirit Stone into his mouth and crunched it to pieces.
The surrounding Golden Frost Sect disciples could only smile bitterly.
“Little Patriarch, you really shouldn’t be doing this. Senior, what if you go berserk and then somehow become a son-in-law of the Song Clan? When we returned to the Sect, our punishment would be horrific….”
“That’s right, Little Patriarch, think things over again… Think things over again….”
Fatty stared at them with wide-eyed, his expression one of disbelief. “But I’m already here,” he said.
“Little Patriarch,” said Zhou Daya hurriedly, “don’t you know about all those Junior Sisters back in the Sect who have eyes for you? Plus, you have several official beloved assigned to you by the Sect Leader. They’re all waiting for you….” He understood Fatty the most, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Fatty took a deep breath.
“Alright, forget it. Let’s just go along to watch the fun.”
At the same time as the Golden Frost Sect disciples were trying to dissuade Fatty from participating, off in the distance, Wang Youcai floated in mid-air looking thoughtful. A strange aura circulated around his body. He appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, but also emanated an extremely anti-social air. He gazed toward the enormous tree, lost in thought.
He looked at Fatty, and then Meng Hao. Whenever Meng Hao looked back at him, however, he would avert his eyes.
Whatever had happened between him and Dong Hu, it seemed would remain a secret that only the two of them could understand. [2. The relationship between Dong Hu and Wang Youcai is mentioned most recently in Chapter 71: Dong Hu and Chapter 72: A True Man]
The mournful, screaming wind whipped the sea into madness. The dark shadows which swam back and forth in its depths made this whole place seem incredibly awe-inspiring. Amidst the howling wind, everyone surged forward. The wind blasted against their faces as they shot toward the enormous tree.
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