At Yuanping Martial Arts University.
As the divine ability characters manifested one by one, the practicing martial masters looked on in amazement. Over by the sports ground, the Black Armor, who had remained there without moving, was somewhat at a loss for words.
Did they really take this place for a cultivation sanctuary?
Coming over whenever they pleased.
Showing up once a day—it was truly... leaving him speechless.
Yet he was also somewhat surprised. This group of people was rather intriguing. Their force was not weak. The force of this era actually bore some resemblance to the origin path of the past. These people were clearly not very strong; in the ancient days, one could hardly comprehend the Dao without reaching the peak level.
These people, however, felt as though they were coming into contact with the Dao prematurely.
Though their physical bodies were frail and their mental strength ordinary, the embryonic form of the Great Dao was distinct.
The Black Armor chuckled inwardly. Every era had its own method of cultivation.
While this was a boon, it was also a drawback.
Touching upon comprehension too early also made it difficult for them to truly temper their flesh to bear the might of the Great Dao. Every cause brought its effect, and who could say whether it was truly good or bad?
...
While the Black Armor was lost in thought, Li Hao finished teaching everyone how to make the transition. Almost no one felt anything was amiss; to them, being able to retain their force was a dream come true.
At this moment, everyone was eager to begin their cultivation and transition.
Naturally, the Spring of Life was indispensable.
With so many people transitioning this time, Li Hao calculated that without two to three hundred drops of the Spring of Life, it clearly wouldn't be enough—and that was an optimistic estimate.
The consumption was substantial.
Of course, Li Hao believed he could earn it back, provided he could deal with the coconut tree.
After instructing the crowd, Li Hao strolled further into the campus.
The puppets at the entrance were still diligently patrolling, though nobody knew what they were so keen on patrolling for.
Li Hao headed straight for the sports ground.
The Black Armor watched silently, wondering what this fellow was up to.
"Senior!" Li Hao greeted with a bright smile as he walked over.
The Black Armor remained silent.
Li Hao didn't mind and kept smiling. "Senior, this student has a few questions to ask."
The Black Armor spoke as calmly as still water. "Speak."
Li Hao dispensed with pleasantries and asked directly, "Senior, if one wishes to kill a monster plant that was an Immortal Realm being in the ancient civilization, which has recently revived to some degree but shouldn't have reached the Immortal Realm yet... under such circumstances, how can one ensure its destruction?"
The Black Armor looked up at the sky.
It was very dim!
Yet the Black Armor felt that someone had lost his mind.
A fellow who had just reached the six-element level was planning to kill an Immortal Realm being.
Fighting above one's realm?
One had to consider how vast the disparity was.
Moreover, there was a stage of qualitative transformation in between, something that couldn't be bridged by a minor level or two.
He looked at Li Hao, pausing for a long while before slowly speaking. "Do you know what the Immortal Realm represents?"
Li Hao shook his head.
The Black Armor explained calmly, "In the ancient civilization, from the First Rank to the Ninth Rank was considered the mortal stage! Transcending the Ninth Rank led into the Peak Realm—a stage of qualitative transformation, immensely formidable! Above the Peak Realm, it was known in ancient times as the Sovereign Realm. Later, it was renamed the Immortal Realm to avoid conflicting with the titles of certain supreme powerhouses. Immortal signifies eternal life and indestructibility..."
Li Hao looked at him. Eternal life and indestructibility?
Didn't you all die anyway?
Take... you, for example!
The Black Armor seemed to know what he was thinking, or perhaps Li Hao had forgotten the other's abilities and let his mind wander right before him.
The Black Armor didn't take offense. "That is merely how it is phrased. But across a thousand years, ten thousand years, a hundred thousand years... endless time will still cause you to decay! No matter how formidable an entity is, without energy to sustain it, even an indestructible golden body will rot! Yet those monster plants, able to survive to this day, have relatively speaking achieved immortality!"
How many years had passed?
In any era, time was your greatest enemy. Even with peerless talent, ten thousand years, a hundred thousand years... the passage of ages would steadily erode you.
However, the Black Armor didn't dwell on this, saying indifferently, "Killing an Immortal Realm being hinges on two key points. First, sever its origin path! This is paramount. There is currently no origin path within this heaven and earth, but its personal origin path still exists; it simply cannot anchor itself to the true Great Dao of heaven and earth, meaning it is no longer stable and cannot endlessly draw energy from the Great Dao of the Origin."
Li Hao raised his brow. "Then how... does one sever its origin Great Dao?"
The Black Armor looked at Li Hao and only answered after a pause. "Those divine ability characters of yours, unifying spirit, qi, and force, can be regarded as a unique Dao. Only the Dao can oppose the Dao! Pure attacks of qi-blood, inner force, or mysterious energy cannot harm the power of the Great Dao... but force can!"
"With the Starry Sky Sword in hand, as long as your force and your divine ability characters are strong enough, a single strike of your sword will suffice to sever it!"
Li Hao mulled over the meaning of those words. Only the Dao could harm the Dao!
The Black Armor continued, "Second, once a monster plant revives, it will inevitably stockpile a massive amount of the Spring of Life within its body as a reserve. Every monster plant does this. Therefore, during battle, the greatest taboo is dragging things out. If the fight drags on, it might detonate all the Spring of Life in its body at a critical juncture, returning to its peak!"
Li Hao's expression shifted slightly. "Even right now, when they've only just revived, they would still stockpile the Spring of Life?"
"Naturally."
The Black Armor said calmly, "Monster plants of any era would do so. If you don't believe me, ask that little tree beside you. Weak as it is, it still hoards a large amount of the Spring of Life, even when its strength hasn't restored to its peak!"
Li Hao instantly released the little tree. Having heard those words, the little tree felt extremely awkward!
This was practically saying out loud that the little tree had embezzled a great deal of divine energy stones.
Yet since the Black Armor had exposed it, the little tree could only transmit its mental fluctuations: "I... I only kept a little. As for that guy, I have no idea."
"All of them do!"
The Black Armor said impassively, "If you don't want to kill it a second time... you must slay it before it can erupt! Otherwise, not only will it become difficult to kill, but more importantly, your spoils will be drastically diminished once you do."
Li Hao nodded repeatedly. So that was how it worked.
Fortunately, he had shamelessly asked around; the little tree might not even know as much as this senior.
The Black Armor continued, "Third, as an entity of the Immortal Realm, even if it hasn't fully revived, it remains a monster plant. Monster plants have never truly died, and their true forms are extraordinarily sturdy. You will find it difficult to pierce its defenses!"
Li Hao furrowed his brows.
The Black Armor added, "Therefore, if you want to kill it, there is one more thing: concentrate your power to first breach its Heart of Life... the core of a monster plant, equivalent to the position of a heart. In combat, the location where its energy gathers fastest and thickest is where the Heart of Life resides."
With that, he suddenly reached out. The little tree panicked instantly.
In a flash, it was seized in the Black Armor's hand!
The Black Armor tapped a single finger against a spot on the little tree's trunk, stating calmly, "Here is where a monster plant's Heart of Life lies. Breaching this spot is the only way to produce a decisive effect. Otherwise, even if you chop it in half, it will hardly be affected!"
Li Hao nodded hastily, his horizons broadened. He quickly glanced at the little tree. If the little tree had a face, it would surely be pale with sheer dread and terror right now. This Grand Sage-level entity was truly terrifying!
The Black Armor looked at Li Hao and spoke once more. "Are you relying on this little tree to slay that monster plant?"
Li Hao gave a dry laugh. "Not entirely!"
The Black Armor pondered for a moment before adding, "It is not entirely without chance. Currently, the origin of heaven and earth has vanished, the amplification is no more, and after slumbering for countless years, anything is possible! However, be careful not to give it a chance to self-destruct. Otherwise... all of you will die!"
Self-destruct?
Li Hao's heart skipped a beat.
The Black Armor said no more. As an entity of the Immortal Realm, having survived to this day with great difficulty, it would naturally be exceptionally fearful of death.
Yet if it were pushed to the brink by a swarm of ants... at the final moment, it was highly likely to self-destruct.
If an Immortal Realm being self-destructed... whether Li Hao and his companions could survive would be the real problem.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior!"
The Black Armor ignored him, simply standing there in silence.
Li Hao was actually quite curious. Why was this fellow always standing here?
He forgot once more that the Black Armor could read minds, only to hear the Black Armor say indifferently, "I am the Dean of Students of Yuanping Martial Arts University. Assembling on the sports ground and declaring emergency combat readiness are both under my purview to announce. When I stand here... it signifies that combat readiness has begun!"
Li Hao smiled sheepishly. Is that so?
Fair enough!
Still... you're the only one left. What's the point of declaring combat readiness?
Li Hao did not disturb him further. This senior was rather cold, far less approachable than Director Wang. He noticed that powerhouses from the ancient civilization were mostly aloof and distant. Those willing to chat like the little tree and Director Wang were rare.
Perhaps they looked down on newcomers, or perhaps their hearts were like dead ashes, having fallen into despair long ago.
Turning back toward the campus gates, Li Hao suddenly felt eyes on him. Glancing at the dolls scattered around, he noticed that one of them seemed to have opened its eyes just now.
He knew these dolls were puppets.
Yet... did puppets need to open their eyes?
Li Hao cast an odd look at the dolls, then at the puppets ceaselessly patrolling the perimeter, feeling that these puppets... were not entirely normal.
The entrance was just an empty plaza. Was there really a need for hundreds of puppets to patrol here?
Could they be... living people?
That wasn't right either; even the Black Armor could hardly be considered a living person.
Thoughts swirled in his mind, but he didn't pursue the questions.
Whether it was the Black Armor or Director Wang, none of them had ever asked Li Hao for anything, such as helping them revive, nor had they demanded divine energy stones from him. Perhaps they thought Li Hao was too weak for it to matter, or perhaps they could no longer be revived at all.
These were humans, after all, not monster plants.
...
After lingering in the ruins for a while, Li Hao looked at a storage ring, contemplating whether he should finish off the giant tree's clone right here.
It would be a good opportunity to test the other's strength...
On second thought, he decided to wait.
Once everyone had successfully transformed, he would summon everyone participating in the operation inside, and they would confront the giant tree together.
...
The transition took a considerable amount of time.
By the time Li Hao led everyone out, dusk had already fallen.
He swiftly escorted the group back to Heavenly Star City.
Inside the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office.
Heroes were assembled, the powerhouses brimming with vigor.
Li Hao looked toward Deputy Director Zhou. "Then Deputy Director Zhou will remain behind to guard..."
This had been his earlier intention—to have Deputy Director Zhou stay out of it.
Deputy Director Zhou glanced at him and smiled. "I should go in as well. Otherwise, if something happens to you all, my staying behind alone won't be of much use anyway."
Li Hao frowned slightly, glancing at Deputy Director Zhou.
He had never quite grasped this man's true strength.
Zhou was a pure practitioner of ancient martial arts.
Yet the Wind and Cloud Roll ranked him quite high.
"Then... let us enter together!" Li Hao nodded. That worked too.
He added, "Disperse first and wait for me near the western outskirts ruins. I'll join you shortly!"
The crowd was slightly puzzled. Why not head straight in?
Li Hao smiled. "I have my arrangements. First, let us witness our opponent's strength and methods!"
Though somewhat confused, no one pressed further, and they departed one after another.
...
In the backyard.
Li Hao returned, his demeanor cold and solemn as he whispered, "I have located the Wind and Cloud Pavilion's stronghold. I am taking our people to eradicate them now! If I return alive... thirty million divine energy stones will be a trivial matter. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion definitely has stockpiles!"
The giant tree hadn't expected him to act so swiftly, caught somewhat off guard. After all, it knew the faction had only surfaced two days ago.
However, lacking intelligence sources, it remained oblivious to the specifics. It transmitted its mental fluctuations: "Then I wish you success. Fret not; with my clone present, nothing will go awry."
Li Hao hesitated before speaking. "If we encounter formidable foes... could Senior's clone... please hold them off for a moment..."
The giant tree felt an urge to curse.
What did that mean?
So if you can't win, you run away first and leave my clone to die?
What an utterly shameless scoundrel!
Yet after a brief consideration, it replied, "Naturally, I will. However... if you fail and my clone is shattered, I shall absorb these divine weapons first as compensation to stabilize my origin."
The implication was clear: the thirty million still had to be paid; the divine weapons were merely the interest.
Li Hao fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Agreed!"
With that, he turned to leave. Reaching the hall entrance, he paused as if weighed down, then turned back. "Senior monster plant, if... we fail and I manage to return wounded, I wish to... borrow some Spring of Life to heal myself!"
"..."
The giant tree desperately wanted to swear!
Getting something for nothing—had he become addicted to it?
What a joke!
"Having severed my origin, my injuries are too severe. I fear I will be powerless to provide you with the Spring of Life..."
The giant tree cursed inwardly. Get lost!
Up to this point, it hadn't seen a single divine energy stone, yet here he was, asking it to sever a clone, and now begging for the Spring of Life. This Li Hao was far too greedy—what a bastard!
Li Hao remained silent for a spell. "If it truly comes to that... I am willing to pledge the Wind-Chasing Boots and the Starry Sky Sword as collateral!"
"..."
The giant tree froze instantly.
The Starry Sky Sword, the Wind-Chasing Boots!
In that moment, the giant tree fell silent.
Li Hao, however, smiled. "It is merely a precaution. If we triumph, none of this will be necessary. Senior should also have faith in your clone's might!"
The giant tree thought it over. That made sense, so it said nothing more.
Li Hao added, "Please consider it, Senior. If the need arises... we shall discuss it then."
Seeing him turn to leave, the giant tree couldn't help but transmit its thoughts: "It is rumored that the Starry Sky Sword possesses the effect of purifying energy. Is that true or false?"
"It is true."
Li Hao smiled. "Otherwise, having stepped onto the martial path only months ago, how could I have achieved what I have today?"
The giant tree spoke no further.
It was true!
Indeed, the legends were genuine. It was said that the Sword Venerable's physical body was not robust enough, leaving him frail; every strike he unleashed took everything he had, earning him the moniker of 'One-Sword Champion' in the past.
The Starry Sky Sword was purportedly forged by peerless experts—perhaps even the legendary Human King and the Cast-God Sovereign together—specifically to allow the Sword Venerable to recover swiftly after unleashing his blade.
Whether that was the exact truth, it could not say, being merely a guardian monster plant of Heavenly Star Town with limited knowledge.
Yet if it truly had the power to purify energy... that would be extraordinary.
...
Li Hao wasted no time and departed swiftly.
Just as he stepped outside the gates of the Governor-General's Office, a figure with a constipated expression stood waiting.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised.
He actually came?
Chen Zhongtian wore a grimace as he looked at Li Hao. Li Hao looked back, sizing him up, and chuckled. "Chief Chen... you truly came?"
"Yes."
Chen Zhongtian replied heavily, pausing before adding, "After living for so long, one learns to see through certain things!"
At over a hundred years old, he was considered aged.
Li Hao chuckled, his thoughts drifting to those ancient civilization powerhouses who lived for tens or hundreds of thousands of years at a stretch. Could a hundred-odd years really be considered living long?
"Then let us go together!"
"Hmm?"
Chen Zhongtian was surprised, glancing toward the Governor-General's Office backyard. Isn't it right here?
"Let's go!"
Li Hao vanished in an instant. Chen Zhongtian raised an eyebrow—so fast.
The next instant, he too disappeared.
He had claimed to specialize in speed and defense, and his speed was no boast; it was genuinely swift. Li Hao had even utilized the Wind-Chasing Boots to vanish in the blink of an eye, yet Chen Zhongtian managed to keep pace.
Before long, they arrived at the western outskirts.
Recently, Li Hao had frequented this place, so the other factions no longer dared to approach, much less probe them.
Upon arriving, Chen Zhongtian's expression shifted.
So many people!
Could it be that they were moving against the powerhouses inside Yuanping Martial Arts University?
Had he guessed wrong?
He was filled with doubt, but... weren't the entities inside likely to be even more formidable?
He saw the crowd, and they saw him.
Among the elderly masters, a few curled their lips. Why had this fellow come?
Southern Fist spoke up bluntly, "Li Hao, why did you invite this old scoundrel?"
"......"
Chen Zhongtian was speechless. He cast a sideways glance at Southern Fist. It was one thing for others to criticize him, but did a fellow like Southern Fist have any right?
Why didn't he look in a mirror?
People always found it hardest to see themselves clearly.
If I am an old scoundrel, what does that make you?
Yao Si also looked his way and smiled faintly. "Old Chief Chen has arrived as well... quite unexpected!"
The two had crossed paths before, back when the Night Patrol was affiliated with the Inspectorate.
However, Yao Si hadn't been fond of him either, and their interactions had been minimal.
"Let us enter!"
Li Hao smiled lightly. "Senior Chen has kindly offered his assistance, agreeing to serve as our defense, so... let us welcome the senior to our ranks!"
The crowd caught on and nodded slightly.
A few shared sly smiles.
Chen Zhongtian suddenly felt a pang of regret!
These people... weren't truly planning to have him withstand an ancient civilization powerhouse, were they? When he claimed his defense was formidable, it was only relative; it didn't mean he could genuinely endure blows from an ancient powerhouse.
Yet Li Hao paid no heed to his hesitation, stepping into the ancient ruins in a flash. Chen Zhongtian saw that Li Hao held a medallion in his grip. No wonder outsiders couldn't enter lately; the ruins had already begun their revival.
...
"Back again?"
The Black Armor was utterly exasperated!
He had just been pondering matters, so why had this brat returned?
Was there no end to this!
Entering for the first time, Chen Zhongtian felt an immediate wave of trepidation. The first thing that met his eyes was the countless puppets, shaking his heart. Surely they weren't going to fight these puppets?
These things looked like lumps of iron, yet they felt terrifyingly strong.
And there were so many of them!
At this moment, the others turned their eyes to Li Hao. Li Hao wasted no time beating around the bush, stating directly, "We will first use the monster plant's clone as practice! Let everyone experience the opponent's strength. It is powerful... that is a given! The clone possesses merely a third of its true strength, but strictly speaking, it has barely stepped into what the ancient civilization calls the Peak Realm."
"Senior Little Tree will serve as the primary vanguard! Your sole task is to entangle the enemy!"
The little tree materialized, its branches and leaves swaying.
Chen Zhongtian grew even more shocked. Was this... another monster plant?
Entangling a Peak Realm entity... did that mean this tree possessed comparable strength?
Li Hao actually possessed such a trump card!
Li Hao continued, "In addition, Martial Uncle Hong, Chief Chen, and Senior Sect Master of the Iron Cloth Armor will form the outermost defensive line!"
All three were renowned for their defense.
Li Hao didn't know Chief Chen's full depth, but the Iron Cloth master practiced the Iron Cloth Armor Divine Art, possessing formidable strength and defense.
As for Hong Yitang, there was no need to elaborate; his Earth-Overturning Sword was the pinnacle of defensive swordsmanship.
The three exchanged glances and nodded.
"Tyrant Saber, Sky Sword, and Director Hou will remain in the rear, serving as the primary attackers with spiritual intent."
"Seniors Northern Fist, Southern Fist, Chief Kong, Mad Demon Saber, and Roaring Thunder Fist, you shall form the second line of vanguard attackers..."
Li Hao assigned each their role.
"Chief Steward Yu, Bright Light Sword, Thunderbolt Leg, and the other seniors... you will act as the outer perimeter finishers..."
Everyone looked at one another, some slightly disgruntled.
Bright Light Sword, for instance, had been assigned to the outermost perimeter, which signified only one thing... she was too weak.
Even Southern Fist had managed to snag a spot on the second line!
As for Hou Xiaochen and his peers, their mental strength and spiritual intent were immense, making it natural for them to stay back. But Bright Light Sword and Jade Rakshasa were genuinely placed in the rear because of their lower strength.
It was meant to ensure their safety.
At this moment, Southern Fist felt rather pleased with himself, feeling no fear at all. To a martial master, joining forces to slay a foe without even making the vanguard was far too pathetic.
It meant Li Hao lacked confidence in your abilities.
How gratifying!
He had actually managed to make the front line, standing on the same tier as that villain Northern Fist and his martial uncle, Roaring Thunder Fist.
Once Li Hao finished delegating, he turned to Deputy Director Zhou, his brows furrowing slightly.
Deputy Director Zhou smiled. "If you trust me... you should be the main attacker. I will fight alongside you as your support!"
Seeing him offer, Li Hao nodded.
He wasn't entirely certain of the man's precise strength, but since Zhou proposed it, they would proceed accordingly.
After all, this was merely a test run.
Furthermore, in this place, safety was largely guaranteed.
Right then, the Black Armor's cold voice drifted from the distance: "Weigh the consequences yourselves. If you break anything... you shall compensate according to the price!"
The others remained quiet, but Chen Zhongtian jumped in fright.
A living person?
Li Hao smiled faintly. "Understood. One year at most, interest paid in full!"
With Li Hao's assurance, the Black Armor couldn't be bothered to say more.
Li Hao retrieved a storage ring and took a deep breath. A genuine clone of an Immortal Realm being with Peak Realm combat power—this was his first time facing such a formidable adversary. The clones he had encountered before possessed merely the strength of five or six divine ability elements.
Looking at the little tree, he warned, "Senior... in a moment... be careful!"
The little tree instantly expanded into a towering tree, its branches swaying. "Rest assured!"
If they couldn't even slay a clone, what business did they have trying to kill the true body?
That would be courting death!
"Everyone, this is merely a clone, but it is an exceptionally powerful one!" Li Hao said in a deep voice. "If dealing with even a clone proves too difficult... then this operation must be aborted!"
The next instant, he barked, "Then... let us begin!"
Boom!
The storage ring shattered.
In a flash, a towering tree hung suspended in midair. The newly emerged coconut tree clone was initially dazed, but it soon realized its surroundings, looking toward the distant puppets and the towering figure of the Black Armor...
The next moment, panic gripped it. Weren't they supposed to deal with the Wind and Cloud Pavilion?
Why was it this place!
Wasn't this... Yuanping Martial Arts University?
It instantly recognized the dire situation. Li Hao and his group were utterly mad. Since someone had revived at Yuanping Martial Arts University, it was not an entity they could afford to provoke. It had assumed they were only targeting people from the Wind and Cloud Pavilion.
"Insurmountable... fools, take me and run!" the tree transmitted its furious mental roar.
The next moment, its gaze caught sight of something else—it saw the little tree.
Right then, the little tree's mental force surged violently as it lunged forward. In that same instant, Li Hao roared, "Kill!"
Boom!
Everyone struck simultaneously, blades, spears, swords, and halberds thrusting forth together!
The coconut tree was momentarily stunned, finding it inconceivable.
Then, realization dawned.
They... intend to hunt me!
"Bastards!"
It flew into a rage. Li Hao was hunting it—what did that imply?
It meant the brat had been deceiving it all along!
At this moment, it could no longer care about the Black Armor's presence. It instantly transformed into a towering tree, faintly assuming a humanoid shape with branches serving as limbs. This time, its aura alone was far more formidable than the previous clone's.
"You court death!"
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out as mental power detonated, shockwaves sweeping across heaven and earth. The little tree shuddered. It had not summoned the Imperial Palace; this was merely a test run against the coconut tree, and if it had to summon the Imperial Palace's projection now, how could they possibly face the true body later?
Meanwhile, the powerhouses present experienced drastic shifts in expression, their heads spinning with dizziness!
The next moment, everyone's divine ability characters manifested, actually holding off the mental intrusion.
Chen Zhongtian was bewildered, casting a sideways glance at the group in utter confusion.
What is this?
There was no time to ponder. He let out a fierce roar as golden radiance erupted across his body, a suit of armor materializing over his flesh.
Right at that moment, countless branches swept toward them like a storm.
Boom!
The void seemed to shatter. A divine ability character bearing the word 'Sword' emerged, transforming into a mountain of swords—a phantom projection of the Earth-Overturning Sword!
Yet such a mighty Earth-Overturning Sword, a defensive bastion formed by the divine ability character, was instantly pierced through by the barrage of branches!
Hong Yitang let out a muffled grunt!
Blood trickled from the corner of his lips. He was deeply shaken—was this the Peak Realm?
Just then, a thunderous roar erupted. The master of the Iron Cloth Armor transformed into a golden Buddha-like entity, blocking the path with a resounding crash. Before him floated a massive character—'Defend'!
Boom!
Countless branches lashed forward, instantly cracking the character apart.
Chen Zhongtian's reaction was a beat late—not because he was weak, but because he was stunned by their methods. What on earth was all this?
Yet in the very next instant, he snapped back to his senses.
With a furious shout, he chose not to defend passively. Instead, he threw a punch. A tremendous blast erupted as a divine weapon materialized over his fist, shattering some of the branches that had breached the first two layers of defense!
Simultaneously, Hou Xiaochen and the others unleashed their attacks!
Yao Si threw a punch, five-element divine abilities erupting in harmony. The cyclical flow of his five viscera merged the five elements into a single blow that shook the heavens and earth, obliterating all the branches that had penetrated the vanguard defense!
The next moment, a spear, a saber, and a sword manifested in the void. Sky Sword, Tyrant Saber, and Hou Xiaochen launched their spiritual intent attacks with immense ferocity. Boom!
The void fractured!
The coconut tree was violently shaken. "What is this?"
What kind of techniques were these people using?
It had never seen anything like it!
At this moment, it was profoundly alarmed. Though formidable enough to pierce through the defenses of three great powerhouses in an instant, its entire assault had been shattered in the blink of an eye.
These fellows were shockingly strong.
Several possessed six-element strength.
Even the weakest, like Chief Steward Yu, possessed the power of two to three elements.
Meanwhile, Li Hao and Deputy Director Zhou had yet to act, merely observing in silence.
The little tree's branches collided with the enemy's, tearing the void apart!
This meant their clash of power had truly reached the Peak Realm, sufficient to rip through space itself.
Fractured space made this a perilous brawl for both monster plants.
Li Hao, however, frowned slightly. With so many powerhouses joining forces, their first line of defense had still been breached in an instant... especially when the little tree, as the main force, was actively entangling the foe.
Even so, the opponent had found the leeway to strike.
Indeed, the disparity in strength was immense.
Deputy Director Zhou looked at Li Hao. Li Hao said in a deep voice, "Director Zhou, please make a move. I wish to see your strength so I can arrange our subsequent plans!"
Seeing this, Deputy Director Zhou chuckled.
The next instant, he tore through the air.
This time, instead of circling the giant tree like the others, he charged straight for it. The coconut tree was infuriated—where did this suicidal fool come from?
A massive branch pierced through the void, thrusting directly toward Deputy Director Zhou's heart.
The usually quiet Deputy Director Zhou suddenly let out a ferocious roar!
Qi-blood soared into the heavens!
The Black Armor, who had merely been spectating, suddenly glanced toward Deputy Director Zhou in surprise. Neo-Martial arts!
Boom!
The towering qi-blood transformed into a surging dragon. Golden light erupted across Deputy Director Zhou's body. The branch struck with a deafening crash, forcing him back a single step, yet he remained completely uninjured—an incredible feat!
"A golden body?" The giant tree froze. "You're a Neo-Martial artist..."
Impossible!
In that fleeting moment of shock, the normally scholarly Deputy Director Zhou transformed into a berserk martial master akin to a god or fiend. With a savage roar, he unleashed a punch. Boom—crack!
A branch was snapped clean off by his blow!
A formidable aura spilled forth. Shrouded in radiant gold, he roared once more, and a chaotic barrage of sonic booms erupted!
Deputy Director Zhou stuck to the front line, circling the giant tree and battering it frantically in tandem with the little tree, attacking from front and rear!
Li Hao's eyes glittered with golden light. What an extraordinarily strong physical body!
Was this the Neo-Martial path?
The golden body!
In this era, it was virtually nonexistent, and cultivating such a formidable fleshly body was impossible.
The Nine-Turn Golden Body!
At this moment, even the Black Armor was surprised. Golden bodies were divided into different tiers, and this fellow walking the Neo-Martial path had cultivated not a base level, but the pinnacle tier of golden body cultivation.
"Whose inheritance is this?"
The Black Armor was astonished. This wasn't something just anyone could inherit. The Nine-Turn Golden Body had been rare even back in the day. How could a figure of this new era cultivate such a mighty golden body?
"Could it be... the inheritance of that Sovereign from Jingwu?"
He was filled with shock and bewilderment. How could that be? When had the Silver Moon land ever possessed that Sovereign's inheritance?
He watched Deputy Director Zhou for a long time before shifting his gaze to Li Hao. Could it have been left behind by the Sword Venerable?
It was not impossible; Martial Uncle Changsheng had been exceptionally close with those Sovereigns.
Boom, boom, boom!
In the void, a streak of golden light flashed ceaselessly with thunderous reverberations as Deputy Director Zhou charged and battered his foe!
Li Hao's eyes shone with excitement. Such immense defensive power!
His offensive might was formidable as well!
He definitely possessed the power of six elements, perhaps even the peak of six elements. The Wind and Cloud Roll's ranking of this man was entirely justified; he truly deserved a spot in the top ten, appearing even stronger than Chen Zhongtian, who was ranked ninth.
Chen Zhongtian was equally shocked and amazed!
This fellow was this powerful?
Right then, Li Hao called out, "Chief Chen, let me see your strength! This is merely a clone; if this is all the strength you have... you won't be worth the heavy price I paid!"
Chen Zhongtian cursed under his breath!
The next second, he too transformed into a streak of golden light, vanishing from his spot. In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside Deputy Director Zhou and thrust a palm forward. The coconut tree clone's branches lashed out, powerful mental force sweeping in all directions.
Chen Zhongtian roared, reaching out to seize a branch. A burst of immense inner force erupted—boom!
The branch exploded!
He was the second person after Deputy Director Zhou capable of snapping the giant tree's branches on his own; everyone else required coordinated efforts.
Li Hao's gaze flickered. Formidable indeed!
Just then, the coconut tree's mental force fluctuated frantically, and its furious roar echoed in everyone's minds: "A swarm of ants dares to ambush this seat? You court death!"
Boom!
The sky darkened.
A towering tree seemed to emerge from another dimension, manifesting in the void before splitting into countless clones that instantly descended into everyone's minds!
The little tree erupted as well, its mental fluctuations surging violently. "An origin method! Careful—protect your spiritual intent and resist with force!"
Everyone's spiritual intent flared instantly as their divine ability characters were pulled back into their bodies, martial force bursting forth!
The phantoms of the giant tree in their minds exploded one after another. What should have destroyed everyone's mental force outright failed to achieve its purpose. Under the sudden eruption, many coughed up blood, and their divine ability characters even began to crack.
Yet... they ultimately held their ground!
Li Hao was also assaulted by the giant tree's mental power, but he instantly shaped his divine ability character into a sword, obliterating the tree's shadow with a single slash!
"Impossible!"
The giant tree was shaken, dimming noticeably as it cried out in disbelief, "How... what on earth are these characters of yours..."
They had actually internalized their mental strength and force within the characters. It had intended to obliterate their mental force, which would have rendered them living corpses instantly.
To it, these beings, so much lower in realm, should never have been able to withstand the assault.
Yet... every single one of them had held on!
Not just one or two, but all of them.
What kind of freaks were these?
In the rear, the Black Armor was also surprised, musing inwardly that this path of divine ability characters was truly intriguing. It actually concealed their life imprints, drawing everything into the characters; as long as the character remained unbroken, they would not perish.
This served as a natural counter to the origin path, or rather, an explicit counter against specialists of mental force.
Even in the Neo-Martial era, mental assassinations were terrifyingly lethal.
Yet in this era... the mental force of a Peak Realm entity had been resisted by a group of weaklings.
In the past, a single strike like that would have killed a whole swath of them!
Even the Black Armor was astonished, let alone the coconut tree, which was shaken beyond measure. How could this be?
It had expended an immense amount of energy specifically to wipe these people out.
And none of them had died!
...
"Is this an origin path assault?"
Li Hao smiled, suddenly feeling... it wasn't so bad after all.
Having observed the giant tree all this time, he had been deciphering its mechanics. Now, Li Hao ceased watching. In an instant, he appeared before the giant tree, divine ability characters flooding into his sword.
Silent and soundless!
A single sword struck, the six divine abilities of wind, thunder, water, fire, metal, and earth erupting simultaneously!
Boom!
With a massive roar, the seemingly solid giant tree was pierced clean through!
However, it healed in an instant.
Yet this strike dimmed the tree even further. The next moment, the coconut tree shrank to human size and charged straight at Li Hao with mad desperation. Damn it all, it was all because of this bastard!
Even if this clone is destroyed, I'll drag you down with me!
Li Hao flickered, vanishing from the spot, but the opponent's speed was astonishing. Reappearing in the blink of an eye, a branch transformed into an arm, throwing a punch straight at Li Hao's head.
Just as Li Hao moved to evade, two figures flickered into existence on his left and right—Chen Zhongtian and Deputy Director Zhou.
The tree moved to shatter their defenses, but in the next second, a 'Sword' character appeared before it, manifesting into ten thousand sword momentums that enveloped it completely!
The little tree also thrust forward with countless branches, skewering toward it.
Seeing this, Li Hao stopped dodging. Gathering his power for a fraction of an instant, he unleashed a furious roar and struck with his sword!
With this single strike, the void seemed on the verge of tearing apart.
The others manifested their divine ability characters as well, going all out to deliver their strongest attacks simultaneously!
Boom!
A chain of shattering blasts rang out!
The giant tree struggled violently, crushing the myriad sword momentums, driving back the little tree's branches, and even piercing through Deputy Director Zhou's golden body...
Yet at that very moment, a sword struck straight toward its core!
Bang!
The Starry Sky Sword impaled its trunk. Its origin destabilized violently, five forces detonating at once as a surge of Lifeless sword intent erupted. Boom, boom, boom... savage detonations resounded continuously.
A moment later, the battered tree was thrown back a hundred meters. A grotesque face surfaced on the coconut tree, warped with venomous hatred. "You wish to ambush this seat and seize my origin? Delusional fools!"
A surge of origin power began to fluctuate violently!
Li Hao knew it intended to self-destruct!
Right at that juncture, the little tree's origin power also surged wildly. In an instant, the projection of the Imperial Palace materialized, and with a thunderous crash, a corner of the palace pressed down directly!
Bang!
The fluctuating origin was crushed instantly. The coconut tree looked toward the little tree once more in utter disbelief. "The Imperial Palace..."
Bang!
In a single breath, all of its branches exploded into dust!
In the blink of an eye, they were completely engulfed by the Imperial Palace.
The little tree seemed slightly stuffed. As the Imperial Palace vibrated, a dense wave of origin power surged toward Deputy Director Zhou. Deputy Director Zhou did not hold back, absorbing it directly.
He walked the ancient martial path, making the absorption seamless and fitting.
Li Hao and the others landed on the ground. While the others were overjoyed, Li Hao frowned.
Everyone had sustained injuries of varying degrees, which wasn't significant; what mattered was that taking down a mere clone had proven this arduous... Had the little tree not utilized the projection of the Imperial Palace, he wouldn't even have been able to stop the clone from self-destructing.
This wouldn't do!
Facing the true body in this state... would be courting death.
The crux was that no one possessed the power to deliver a guaranteed fatal blow!
Li Hao frowned. After a moment, his brow smoothed slightly. Taking a deep breath, he spoke abruptly, "I need to condense the final Wood divine ability character. Everyone, wait a moment and recover your strength!"
The crowd's expressions shifted!
This... seven elements?
Li Hao said nothing. He had already sensed it—without gathering seven elements, killing the true body would be near impossible. Seven elements unleashed in the outside world possessed the power to tear through space. Of course, his seven elements might not be entirely pure; at the very least, wind and thunder were relatively weak.
As for whether his flesh could endure it... as long as he weathered the condensation phase, he could rein it in afterward. When unleashing it, he would simply expend more life energy and sword energy.
Without completing the five viscera divine abilities, Li Hao felt he was too weak. Setting aside the true body, he didn't even stand a chance against a clone on his own.
The next instant, the force of the wood element erupted.
Everyone looked toward him with concern, their earlier joy evaporating. They were still too weak!
Even with all of them joining forces, the damage inflicted on the coconut tree clone had been minimal.
At this moment, several people sat down in silence, divine energy surging across their bodies. In the blink of an eye, cracks began appearing across their flesh. Without needing Li Hao to speak, the little tree sprinkled drops of the Spring of Life over them.
Chen Zhongtian's eyelids twitched violently. What in the world was wrong with these people?
Terrifying!
He felt that if this group truly managed to slay the coconut tree's true body, many of them might surpass him in strength.
Chapter 259